Laser source of super-high-power terahertz radiation

Super-high-power terahertz radiation sources are in demand for a number of practical applications in various fields of science and technology, which is the motivation for carrying out relevant work on the XCELS infrastructure. For this purpose, A possibility of achieving record-breaking parameters of laser-induced terahertz pulses generated by the interaction of an XCELS laser beam with a flat metal target (foil) is justified numerically and theoretically. Such pulses arise due to the transition radiation of laser-triggered electrons leaving the target from its rear side. In this case, unique (unipolar) intense pulses of THz radiation are generated into vacuum, the power and energy of which is limited only by the power of the laser pulse in use. Theoretically and using numerical simulation, it is shown how the interaction of the XCELS laser pulse with the target will make it possible to obtain high-intensity THz pulses of record power (10–50 TW) and energy (1–5 J), propagating both in the vacuum and on the surface of the conducting target.