Generation of Pulsed High Power Far Infrared Radiation

Abstract

Using large aperture photoconductive switches(1) and interferometric detection(2), we have measured pulses of far infrared radiation (FIR) in excess of 100 nJ per pulse with pulse widths of 600 fs (FWHM). This is the most sub-picosecond FIR generated to date. Detection was accomplished using a pyroelectric detector(2).