Multi-Pass Free Electron Laser Assisted Spectral and Imaging Applications in the Terahertz/Far-IR Range Using the Future Superconducting Electron Source BriXSinO

Abstract

Free-Electron Lasers are a rapidly growing field for advanced science and applications, and worldwide facilities for intense field generation, characterization and usage are becoming increasingly popular due to their peculiarities, including extremely bright, coherent, wide band tunable ultra-short pulses which are not achievable with other techniques up to now. In this review we give a thorough survey of the latest advances in the Free-Electron Laser-based field generation and detection methodologies and then present the main characteristics of a future THz/IR source, named TerRa@BriXSinO, based on a superconducting linear accelerator. The foreseen source is strongly monochromatic, with a bandwidth of 1% or smaller, highly coherent both transversally and longitudinally, with extreme versatility and high frequency tunability. After introducing the most recent and novel FEL-assisted scientific investigations, including fundamental explorations into complex systems and time-dependent interactions and material dynamics, we present our vision on the potential use of the TerRa facility and analyze some possible applications, ranging from non-linear physics under extreme conditions to polarization sensitive imaging and metamaterial-based sensing.

A Large Area Wide Bandwidth THz Phase Shifter Plate for High Intensity Field Applications

“…Some novel examples include metamaterial-and nanomaterial-based systems, complex experimentation based on light-material, and/or light-light interactions combining diverse pump and probe schemes such as Visible and THz, Infrared and THz, and X-Ray and THz. Recent progress is showing the potential of using high field transients with tailored profiles to achieve a better control over matter by modification of elementary rotational-vibrational excitations, density of states and electronic structures of complex systems, and even intensive acceleration and sensitive manipulation of electron bunches [1,2]. For instance, accelerator-based sources can generate ultra-relativistic electron bunches to produce super radiant and coherent radiation.…”

Responsivity and NEP Improvement of Terahertz Microbolometer by High-Impedance Antenna

“…Then, a broader spectrum overlapping with those from the millimeter wave and far infrared (FIR) regions (0.1 to 10 THz) came to be associated with the THz frequency range because of blurred borders in the transition region from radio electronics to photonics [ 1 , 2 ]. Recently, the improvements in the THz detection and generation methodologies have broadened the THz frequency range further up to 30 THz [ 3 ].…”

THz Multi-Mode Q-Plate with a Fixed Rate of Change of the Optical Axis Using Form Birefringence

“…Even if today the available structures in the THz regime are still limited, due to the constraint of the present techniques of light manipulation, THz beams carrying optical angular momentum have been proposed in many applications, ranging from THz communications to super-resolution imaging and the investigation of nonlinearities in advanced materials and systems [ 2 , 3 , 4 ], and even to accelerate and manipulate electron bunches [ 5 ]. For instance, coherent high-field THz radiation from ultrashort relativistic electron bunches is generated by accelerator-based sources, where the super-radiant and the high field emission require density modulation at THz frequencies [ 6 ].…”