Toward remote sensing with broadband terahertz waves

This paper studies laser air-photonics used for remote sensing of short pulses of electromagnetic radiation at terahertz frequency. Through the laser ionization process, the air is capable of generating terahertz field strengths greater than 1 MV/cm, useful bandwidths over 100 terahertz, and highly directional emission patterns. Following ionization and plasma formation, the emitted plasma acoustic or fluorescence can be modulated by an external terahertz field to serve as omnidirectional, broadband, electromagnetic sensor. These results help to close the "terahertz gap" once existing between electronic and optical frequencies, and the acoustic and fluorescence detection methodologies developed provide promising new avenues for extending the useful range of terahertz wave technology. Our experimental results indicate that by hearing the sound or seeing the fluorescence, coherent detection of broadband terahertz wave at remote distance is feasible. © 2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.