Generation of Intense Terahertz Radiation via Optical Methods

The development of new sources in the terahertz (THz) spectral region has attracted much attention over the past 20 years. In particular, the last three years have seen a surge of new laser-based techniques for generating intense, few-cycle THz pulses in the microjoule energy range, thus paving the way to the study of the nonlinear optical properties of various materials at THz frequencies. Simultaneously, innovative solutions for broad-band THz detection were found, allowing one to sense matter in the THz range with an unprecedented time resolution. In this paper, we will attempt to give a review of the properties and characteristics of the recently developed intense THz sources, with a particular eye on their potential application in ultrafast THz nonlinear spectroscopy.