Terahertz guiding through a plasma Waveguide Generated by a Terawatt Femtosecond

The transmission of microwaves and terahertz waves in the atmosphere is essential for astronomy, remote sensing, and telecommunications. However, these waves are easily absorbed by the water vapor in the air and do not propagate easily over long distance due to diffraction.

An elegant solution to this problem resides in the concept of plasma photonics. By ionizing air with a powerful laser, one can change its optical properties to remotely produce various optical elements in the atmosphere and control the propagation of the terahertz beam. In this collaborative project, we will explore the guiding of terahertz waves through a long waveguide structure made of plasma.

Experiment will be done using the laser from the SAPPHIRE lab at Stanford, that can deliver ultrashort light pulses with a terawatt peak power. We will shape the laser beam to form a cylinder of light and use the ionizing ability of the intense laser field to create a hollow cylinder of air plasma. Finally the guiding ability of the plasma structure will be tested with terahertz waves.