Phys.org  May 28, 2024 Terahertz (THz) waves can ionize atoms and molecules when a sufficiently large number of THz photons are concentrated in time and space. An international team of researchers (South Korea, USA – University of Maryland) demonstrated the generation of ionizing, multicycle, 15-THz waves emitted from large-area lithium niobate crystals via phase-matched optical rectification of 150-terawatt laser pulses. A complete characterization of the generated THz waves in energy, pulse duration, and focal spot size showed that the field strength could reach up to 260 megavolts per centimeter. The intense THz pulses were irradiated onto various solid targets to […]