Terahertz Light Sources by Electronic-Oscillator-Driven Second-Harmonic Generation in Cavities Featuring Extreme Confinement

The majority of sources of coherent optical radiation rely on laser oscillators driven by population inversion. Despite their technological importance in communications, medicine, industry, and other fields, it remains a challenge to access the spectral range of 0.1-10 THz (the terahertz gap), a frequency band for applications ranging from spectroscopy to security and high-speed wireless communications. Here, we propose a way to produce coherent radiation spanning the THz gap by efficient second-harmonic generation in low-loss dielectric structures, starting from technologically mature electronic oscillators in the approximately 100 GHz range. To achieve this goal, we introduce hybrid THz-band dielectric cavity designs that combine (1) extreme field concentration in high-quality-factor resonators with (2) nonlinear materials enhanced by phonon resonances. We theoretically predict conversion efficiencies of >103%/W and the potential to bridge the THz gap with 1 W of input power. This approach enables efficient, cascaded parametric frequency converters, and light sources extensible into the mid-IR spectrum and beyond.

Automated summary

The majority of coherent optical radiation sources rely on laser oscillators driven by population inversion. However, accessing the frequency range of 0.1-10 THz (the terahertz gap) remains a challenge. This study proposes a method to produce coherent radiation spanning the THz gap using low-loss dielectric structures. The approach shows potential for high conversion efficiencies and the ability to bridge the THz gap with only 1 W of input power.