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The application of terahertz (THz) science in industrial technology and scientific research requires efficient THz detectors. Such detectors should be able to operate under various external conditions and conform to existing geometric constraints in the required application. Pyroelectric THz detectors are among the best candidates. This is due to their versatility, outstanding performance, ease of fabrication, and robustness. In this paper, we propose a compact pyroelectric detector based on a bioriented poled polyvinylidene difluoride film coated with sputtered metal electrodes for in situ absorption measurement at cryogenic temperature. The detector design was optimized for the registration system of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) endstation of the Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser facility. Measurements of the detector response to pulsed THz radiation at different temperatures and electrode materials showed that the response varies with both the temperature and the type of electrode material used. The maximum signal level corresponds to the temperature range of 10–40 K, in which the pyroelectric coefficient of the PVDF film also has a maximum value. Among the three coatings studied, namely indium tin oxide (ITO), Au, and Cu/Ni, the latter has the highest increase in sensitivity at low temperature. The possibility of using the detectors for in situ absorption measurement was exemplified using two typical molecular spin systems, which exhibited a transparency of 20–30% at 76.9 cm−1 and 5 K. Such measurements, carried out directly in the cryostat with the main recording system and sample fully configured, allow precise control of the THz radiation parameters at the EPR endstation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient and reliable sensors operating at room temperature is essential to advance the application of terahertz (THz) science and technology. Pyroelectric THz detectors are among the best candidates, taking into account their variety, outstanding performance, ease of fabrication, and robustness. In this work, we compare the performance of six different detectors, based on either LaTiO3 crystal or different polymeric films, using monochromatic radiation of the Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser facility (NovoFEL) in the frequency range of 0.9–2.0 THz. The main characteristics, including noise equivalent power and frequency response, were determined for all of them. Possible reasons for the differences in the obtained characteristics are discussed on the basis of the main physicochemical characteristics and optical properties of the sensitive area. At least three detectors showed sufficient sensitivity to monitor the shape and duration of the THz macropulses utilizing only a small fraction of the THz radiation from the primary beam. This capability is crucial for accurate characterization of THz radiation during the main experiment at various specialized endstations at synchrotrons and free electron lasers. As an example of such characterization, the typical stability of the average NovoFEL radiation power at the beamline of the electron paramagnetic resonance endstation was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Multimodal metal-coated hollow terahertz waveguides were proposed. • Transmission and polarization properties were measured at 1.4, 2.3, 5.5, 33.5 THz. • Transmission losses are 4.6, 6.2, 11.7 dB/m at 1.4, 5.5, 33.5 THz, respectively. • Numerical simulations in COMSOL confirmed the obtained waveguides characteristics. • Experimental findings were described in the framework of the geometrical optics. Terahertz (THz) range, which lies between the microwave and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, presents a new frontier containing an abundance of technical applications and fundamental research problems. There are several challenges limiting the progress in the THz science and technology. One of them is the limited range of the guided-wave propagation of THz radiation, owing to the high loss from the finite conductivity of metals and the high absorption coefficient of dielectric materials in the THz range. In this work, we discuss the design and fabrication of multimodal hollow THz waveguides used at the X-band Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) endstation located at the Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser facility (NovoFEL). Experiments carried out at the EPR endstation are aimed to investigate the impact of THz and far infrared radiation on the spin system of different inorganic complexes and organic radicals. The EPR probehead and cryostat impose strict constraints on the possible ways of transferring the THz radiation to the sample, requiring the development, manufacturing, and characterization of specific waveguides. The proposed waveguides for X-band EPR measurements under THz radiation resemble hollow metal/dielectric waveguides. They have the shape of a hollow cylinder, tapering towards the end, with a silver-coated inner surface, and allow THz radiation to be transmitted over a distance of about 60 cm in a wide frequency range from THz to middle infrared. The waveguides performance was characterized at different frequencies of NovoFEL radiation and compared with numerical simulations. Following the requirements of polarization-sensitive EPR experiments, the waveguides were further modified by a miniature attachment, consisting of a polarizer, a semiconductor mirror, and a quarter-wave plate. The attachment allows preserving the initial polarization properties of THz radiation, turns its propagation vector, and creates the circular-polarized light irradiating the sample – all inside the limited volume of the EPR probehead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Novosibirsk Free Electron Laser (NovoFEL) facility is able to produce high-power tunable terahertz (THz) laser radiation in quasi-continuous mode. The ability to control/shape this THz radiation is required in a number of user experiments. In this work we propose a modulation approach suitable for free electron lasers based on recuperation design. It allows for generating THz macropulses of a desirable length, down to several microseconds (limited by a quality factor of FEL optical resonator). Using this approach, macropulses in the time window from several microseconds to several hundred microseconds have been shown for three possible frequency ranges: mid-infrared (~1100 cm−1), far-infrared (~200 cm−1) and THz (~40 cm−1). In each case, the observed rise and decay of the macropulse have been measured and interpreted. The advantage of using short macropulses at the maximum peak power available has been demonstrated with the time-resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]