In this review, we present a survey on the use of molecular nonlinear crystals in the context of terahertz (THz) photonics. The fundamentals of nonlinear optics for converting optical and infrared radiation into THz radiation with the basic theory of femtosecond optical rectification and difference frequency generation are described. Various types of phase-matching conditions that can be achieved in molecular crystals are discussed. It is shown that one of the unique features of molecular crystals is the ability to generate tunable narrowband terahertz radiation using femtosecond lasers. We also provide a detailed description of the most commonly used and promising molecular crystals such as DAST, DSTMS, OH1, HMQ-TMS, DCMBI, and GUHP. This review also presents a description of recent publications which show the prospects of using molecular nonlinear optical crystals in THz photonics.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.