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Universal properties of locally generated terahertz waveforms from polarization-controlled two- and multicolor ionizing fields

H. Alirezaee1, S. Skupin2, V. Vaicaitis3, A. Demircan4,5, I. Babushkin4,6,5, Luc Bergé7, and U. Morgner4,5

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033057 – Published 14 July, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dj4k-q4x2

Abstract

The polarization states of terahertz (THz) radiation generated in a photoionized gas driven by intense two- or multi-frequency fields with locally controlled polarization are studied. We reveal a universal property of the resulting THz waveforms: the ellipticity of their polarization state increases linearly with frequency. This “linear chirp of ellipticity” makes plasma-based THz generation unique among other THz sources. However, it also imposes some constraints on the polarization properties of the generated THz radiation. We derive a general expression for the THz ellipticity and demonstrate how the polarization states of the generated THz waveforms can be manipulated and controlled by the polarization of the pump pulses.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033057– Published 14 July, 2025
  • Received 7 June 2024
  • Accepted 6 June 2025
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