We describe a simple terahertz (THz) time domain spectrometer with a bandwidth extending up to 7.5 THz. We show that by keeping the generation and detection crystals close to each other a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be achieved without using lock-in detection and dry nitrogen flushing. The observed spectra show very good agreement with the spectra calculated based on a simple model which includes phase matching and absorption in the generation and detection crystals. Using this set-up we have measured the absorption lines in D-tartaric acid from 0.5 THz up to 7 THz. We show that the high frequency region >3 THz is the better choice to measure small changes in the water content of a hygroscopic sample compared to the low frequency region.

© 2008 Optical Society of America

1. M. van Exter, C. Fattinger, and D. Grischkowsky, "Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of water vapor," Opt. Lett. 14, 1128-1131 (1989). [CrossRef]
2. Y. R. Shen, "Far-infrared generation by optical mixing," Prog. Quantum Electron. 4, 207-232 (1976). [CrossRef]
3. L. Xu, X.-C. Zhang, and D. H. Auston, "Terahertz beam generation by femtosecond optical pulses in electro-optic materials," Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 1784-1786 (1992). [CrossRef]
4. C. Kubler, R. Huber, and A. Leitenstorfer, "Ultrabroadband terahertz pulses:generation and field-resolved detection," Semicond. Sci. Technol. 20, S128-S133 (2005). [CrossRef]
5. A. Leitenstorfer, S. Hunsche, J. Shah, M. C. Nuss, and W. H. Knox, "Detectors and sources for ultrabroadband electro-optic sampling: Experiment and theory," Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 1516-1518 (1999). [CrossRef]
6. Q. Wu and X.-C. Zhang, "Free-space electro-optic sampling of terahertz beams," Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 3523-3525 (1995). [CrossRef]
7. A. Nahata, A. S. Weling, and T. F. Heinz, "A wideband coherent terahertz spectroscopy system using optical rectification and electro-optic sampling," Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 2321-2323 (1996). [CrossRef]
8. D. Mittleman, R. Jacobsen, and M. Nuss, "T-ray imaging," IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2, 679-692 (1996). [CrossRef]
9. D. M. Mittleman, R. H. Jacobsen, R. Neelamani, R. G. Baraniuk, and M. C. Nuss, "Gas sensing using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy," Appl. Phys. B 67, 379-390 (1998). [CrossRef]
10. J. M. Chamberlain, "Where Optics Meets Electronics: Recent Progress in Decreasing the Terahertz Gap," Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A 362, 199-213 (2004). [CrossRef]
11. G. C.. Cho, P. Y. Han, X. C. Zhang, and H. J. Bakker, "Optical phonon dynamics of GaAs studied with time resolved terahertz spectroscopy," Opt. Lett. 25, 1609-1611 (2000). [CrossRef]
12. D. Grischkowsky, S. Keiding, M. van Exter, and C. Fattinger, "Far-infrared time-domain spectroscopy with terahertz beams of dielectrics and semiconductors," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7, 2006-2015 (1990). [CrossRef]
13. M. van Exter, C. Fattinger, and D. Grischkowsky, "High-brightness terahertz beams characterized with an ultrafast detector," Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 337-339 (1989). [CrossRef]
14. N. C. J. van der Valk and P. C. M. Planken, "Electro-optic detection of subwavelength terahertz spot sizes in the near field of a metal tip." Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 1558-1560 (2002). [CrossRef]
15. M. A. Seo, A. J. L. Adam, J. H. Kang, J. W. Lee, S. C. Jeoung, Q. H. Park, P. C. M. Planken, and D. S. Kim, "Fourier-transform terahertz near-field imaging of one-dimensional slit arrays: mapping of electric-field-, magnetic-field-, and Poynting vectors," Opt. Express 15, 11781-11789 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
16. A. J. L. Adam, J. M. Brok, S. M. A., K. J. Ahn, D. S. Kim, J. H. Kang, Q. H. Park, M. Nagel, and P. C. M. Planken, "Advanced terahertz electric near field measurements at subwavelength diameter metallic apertures," Opt. Express 16, 7407-7417 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
17. P. U. Jepsen, C. Winnewisser, M. Schall, V. Schyja, S. R. Keiding, and H. Helm, "Detection of THz pulses by phase retardation in lithium tantalate," Phys. Rev. E 53, R3052-R3054 (1996). [CrossRef]
18. G. Zhao, R. N. Schouten, N. van der Valk, and W. T. Wenckebach, "Design and performance of a THz emission and detection setup based on a semi-insulating GaAs emitter," Rev. Sci. Instrum. 73, 1715-1719 (2002). [CrossRef]
19. N. C. J. van der Valk, P. C. M. Planken, A. N. Buijserd, and H. J. Bakker, "Influence of pump wavelength and crystal length on the phase matching of optical rectification," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 22, 1714-1718 (2005). [CrossRef]
20. H. J. Bakker, G. C. Cho, H. Kurz, Q. Wu, and X.-C. Zhang, "Distortion of terahertz pulses in electro-optic sampling," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 15, 1795-1801 (1998). [CrossRef]
21. J. Faure, J. Van Tilborg, R. A. Kaindl, and W. P. Leemans, "Modelling Laser-Based Table-Top THz Sources: Optical Rectification, Propagation and Electro-Optic Sampling," Opt. Quantum Electron. 36, 681-697 (2004). [CrossRef]
22. B. M. Fischer, M. Hoffmann, H. Helm, G. Modjesch, and P. U. Jepsen, "Chemical recognition in terahertz timedomain spectroscopy and imaging," Semicond. Sci. Technol 20, 246-253 (2005). [CrossRef]
23. B. M. Fischer, H. Helm, and P. U. Jepsen, "Chemical recognition with broad band THz spectroscopy," Proc. IEEE 95, 1592-1604 (2007). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. B

• D. M. Mittleman, R. H. Jacobsen, R. Neelamani, R. G. Baraniuk, and M. C. Nuss, "Gas sensing using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy," Appl. Phys. B 67, 379-390 (1998). [CrossRef]

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• M. van Exter, C. Fattinger, and D. Grischkowsky, "High-brightness terahertz beams characterized with an ultrafast detector," Appl. Phys. Lett. 55, 337-339 (1989). [CrossRef]
• N. C. J. van der Valk and P. C. M. Planken, "Electro-optic detection of subwavelength terahertz spot sizes in the near field of a metal tip." Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 1558-1560 (2002). [CrossRef]
• L. Xu, X.-C. Zhang, and D. H. Auston, "Terahertz beam generation by femtosecond optical pulses in electro-optic materials," Appl. Phys. Lett. 61, 1784-1786 (1992). [CrossRef]
• A. Leitenstorfer, S. Hunsche, J. Shah, M. C. Nuss, and W. H. Knox, "Detectors and sources for ultrabroadband electro-optic sampling: Experiment and theory," Appl. Phys. Lett. 74, 1516-1518 (1999). [CrossRef]
• Q. Wu and X.-C. Zhang, "Free-space electro-optic sampling of terahertz beams," Appl. Phys. Lett. 67, 3523-3525 (1995). [CrossRef]
• A. Nahata, A. S. Weling, and T. F. Heinz, "A wideband coherent terahertz spectroscopy system using optical rectification and electro-optic sampling," Appl. Phys. Lett. 69, 2321-2323 (1996). [CrossRef]

IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron.

• D. Mittleman, R. Jacobsen, and M. Nuss, "T-ray imaging," IEEE J. Sel. Top. Quantum Electron. 2, 679-692 (1996). [CrossRef]

J. Opt. Soc. Am. B

• D. Grischkowsky, S. Keiding, M. van Exter, and C. Fattinger, "Far-infrared time-domain spectroscopy with terahertz beams of dielectrics and semiconductors," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7, 2006-2015 (1990). [CrossRef]
• N. C. J. van der Valk, P. C. M. Planken, A. N. Buijserd, and H. J. Bakker, "Influence of pump wavelength and crystal length on the phase matching of optical rectification," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 22, 1714-1718 (2005). [CrossRef]
• H. J. Bakker, G. C. Cho, H. Kurz, Q. Wu, and X.-C. Zhang, "Distortion of terahertz pulses in electro-optic sampling," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 15, 1795-1801 (1998). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• M. A. Seo, A. J. L. Adam, J. H. Kang, J. W. Lee, S. C. Jeoung, Q. H. Park, P. C. M. Planken, and D. S. Kim, "Fourier-transform terahertz near-field imaging of one-dimensional slit arrays: mapping of electric-field-, magnetic-field-, and Poynting vectors," Opt. Express 15, 11781-11789 (2007). [CrossRef] [PubMed]
• A. J. L. Adam, J. M. Brok, S. M. A., K. J. Ahn, D. S. Kim, J. H. Kang, Q. H. Park, M. Nagel, and P. C. M. Planken, "Advanced terahertz electric near field measurements at subwavelength diameter metallic apertures," Opt. Express 16, 7407-7417 (2008). [CrossRef] [PubMed]

Opt. Lett.

• G. C.. Cho, P. Y. Han, X. C. Zhang, and H. J. Bakker, "Optical phonon dynamics of GaAs studied with time resolved terahertz spectroscopy," Opt. Lett. 25, 1609-1611 (2000). [CrossRef]
• M. van Exter, C. Fattinger, and D. Grischkowsky, "Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy of water vapor," Opt. Lett. 14, 1128-1131 (1989). [CrossRef]

Opt. Quantum Electron.

• J. Faure, J. Van Tilborg, R. A. Kaindl, and W. P. Leemans, "Modelling Laser-Based Table-Top THz Sources: Optical Rectification, Propagation and Electro-Optic Sampling," Opt. Quantum Electron. 36, 681-697 (2004). [CrossRef]

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A

• J. M. Chamberlain, "Where Optics Meets Electronics: Recent Progress in Decreasing the Terahertz Gap," Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A 362, 199-213 (2004). [CrossRef]

Phys. Rev. E

• P. U. Jepsen, C. Winnewisser, M. Schall, V. Schyja, S. R. Keiding, and H. Helm, "Detection of THz pulses by phase retardation in lithium tantalate," Phys. Rev. E 53, R3052-R3054 (1996). [CrossRef]

Proc. IEEE

• B. M. Fischer, H. Helm, and P. U. Jepsen, "Chemical recognition with broad band THz spectroscopy," Proc. IEEE 95, 1592-1604 (2007). [CrossRef]

Prog. Quantum Electron.

• Y. R. Shen, "Far-infrared generation by optical mixing," Prog. Quantum Electron. 4, 207-232 (1976). [CrossRef]

Rev. Sci. Instrum.

• G. Zhao, R. N. Schouten, N. van der Valk, and W. T. Wenckebach, "Design and performance of a THz emission and detection setup based on a semi-insulating GaAs emitter," Rev. Sci. Instrum. 73, 1715-1719 (2002). [CrossRef]

Semicond. Sci. Technol

• B. M. Fischer, M. Hoffmann, H. Helm, G. Modjesch, and P. U. Jepsen, "Chemical recognition in terahertz timedomain spectroscopy and imaging," Semicond. Sci. Technol 20, 246-253 (2005). [CrossRef]

Semicond. Sci. Technol.

• C. Kubler, R. Huber, and A. Leitenstorfer, "Ultrabroadband terahertz pulses:generation and field-resolved detection," Semicond. Sci. Technol. 20, S128-S133 (2005). [CrossRef]

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