Ultrafast Optics and Terhertz Photonics

The project will focus on efforts to access high THz field regimes. It will require access to Sussex's high-energy 100GW-class ultrafast laser infrastructure (readily available only to a limited number of other photonic research labs within the UK) and will involve the necessary training -an extremely valuable skill within the international scenario- for developing active research in the field of the physics of extreme optical excitations.

More specifically, the project targets the investigation of the nonlinear field-matter interaction induced by strong THz fields. In particular the PhD student will develop a low-noise 3uJ-level THz source based on the physics of the so called tilted-wave front nonlinear generation, the new frontier in the specific domain. Such a system will be deployed to gain a better understanding of ultrafast carrier dynamics of electron distributions in many materials diffused in electronics, and to explore novel regime a field induced carrier acceleration.

In addition, the research will investigate ways to enhance the THz field, theoretically and numerically designing devices for subwavelength confinement via the so-called surface-plasmons phenomenon. This project links a novel experimental activity with the ongoing of theoretical development within the research group.