Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for measuring an electric field in the near-field region of an optically excited sample. The method includes optically exciting at least part of the sample. This step includes directing excitation light onto an interface between the sample and a medium. The excitation light is incident onto the interface under an angle of incidence such that total internal reflection of the excitation light occurs at the interface. The method further includes measuring the electric field using a terahertz near-field probe, wherein the terahertz near-field probe is positioned on one side of the interface and the excitation light approaches the interface on another side of the interface. This disclosure further relates to a system and computer program for measuring an electric field in the near-field region of an optically excited sample.

Abstract: There is provided a design of a device consisting of a patterned semiconductor material to provide enhanced detection bandwidth and efficiency of terahertz (THz) pulses with an electro-optic sampling. One device has a semiconductor crystal having a patterned grating on a surface of the semiconductor. In a system, there could optionally be a quarter-wave plate after the semiconductor crystal, followed by a prism. A pair of balanced photodiodes can optionally be provided after the prism. A pulse laser having a NIR beam and THz beam is sent through the semiconductor crystal to the quarter-wave plate to the prism to the photodiodes, wherein the patterned grating on the semiconductor crystal diffracts the NIR beam while the THz remains unaffected. The photodiodes can detect the result.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method for measuring an electric field in the near-field region of an optically excited sample. The method includes optically exciting at least part of the sample. This step includes directing excitation light onto an interface between the sample and a medium. The excitation light is incident onto the interface under an angle of incidence such that total internal reflection of the excitation light occurs at the interface. The method further includes measuring the electric field using a terahertz near-field probe, wherein the terahertz near-field probe is positioned on one side of the interface and the excitation light approaches the interface on another side of the interface. This disclosure further relates to a system and computer program for measuring an electric field in the near-field region of an optically excited sample.

Abstract: There is provided a design of a device consisting of a patterned semiconductor material to provide enhanced detection bandwidth and efficiency of terahertz (THz) pulses with an electro-optic sampling. One device has a semiconductor crystal having a patterned grating on a surface of the semiconductor. In a system, there could optionally be a quarter-wave plate after the semiconductor crystal, followed by a prism. A pair of balanced photodiodes can optionally be provided after the prism. A pulse laser having a NIR beam and THz beam is sent through the semiconductor crystal to the quarter-wave plate to the prism to the photodiodes, wherein the patterned grating on the semiconductor crystal diffracts the NIR beam while the THz remains unaffected. The photodiodes can detect the result.