Terahertz-wave generation from surface phonons at forbidden frequencies of lithium niobate

Abstract

This paper describes terahertz (THz)-wave generation within forbidden bands in polar crystals, focusing on the A₁ phonon modes in lithium niobate. This material exhibits two negative-permittivity frequency ranges at 7.4-12.7 THz and 18.8-25.6 THz for the lowest and highest A₁ modes, respectively. Exploiting the finite-difference time-domain simulations, we demonstrate that both the surface phonon modes can be radiative with a structured grating. Fourier analyses of the radiative fields reveal the relevant peaks in the spectrum as well as the dispersion relations. Our results provide a novel method for coherent THz-wave sources at unexplored THz frequencies.