Puzzle of Terahertz wave emission from liquid water with ultrafast laser pulses

2017 Selby Travelling Fellowship

About the talk

In this lecture Professor Xicheng Zhang will experimentally demonstrate the generation of broadband Terahertz (THz) waves from liquid water excited by femtosecond laser pulses and will postulate the physical model responsible for this generation.

Liquid water is a strong absorber in the THz frequency range, meaning that liquid water has historically been sworn off as a source for THz radiation. Here, Professor Zhang will experimentally demonstrate the generation of broadband THz waves from liquid water excited by femtosecond laser pulses. The THz radiation from liquid water shows distinct characteristics when compared with the THz radiation from air plasma with single color optical excitation. In contrast to THz air photonics, where in a short optical pulse duration results in a stronger THz field due to nonlinear optical effects, the THz field from liquid water is eminently maximized with a longer laser pulse duration. 

About the speaker

Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang's research interests center around Terahertz waves, also known as T-rays, which exist within a frequency range between microwave and infrared. His research is focused on the generation, detection, and applications of free-space THz beams with ultrafast optics.

Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang is M. Parker Givens Professor at The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester. A Fellow of AAAS, APS, IEEE, OSA, and SPIE, his recent awards include 2017 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award; 2017 Australian Academy of Science Selby Fellow; 2014 International Society of IRMMW-THz Button Prize; 2012 OSA William F. Meggers Award; 2011 IEEE Photonics Society William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award; and 2009 Rensselaer William H. Wiley Award. He holds 14 professorships in foreign countries, 29 US patents, has authored or co-authored over 400 refereed scientific papers, and has an h-index of 81. Dr. Zhang is the Editor-in-Chief of Optics Letters.

The Selby Fellowship

Selby Fellowships are awarded to distinguished overseas scientists to visit to visit scientific centres in Australia. The Fellowship is financed through the generosity of the trustees of the Selby Scientific Foundation.

2017 Selby Lecture dates:

8 December 2017:  RMIT University,  Building 80, Level 4, Room 11 - 6:00pm to 7:00pm

11 December 2017: The University of Adelaide, Time: TBA Building: TBA

13 December 2017: University of Wollongong, Building 20, Lecture Theatre Number 2 - 11:00am - 12:00pm

The above locations and dates are for guide. Links to organisers websites have been provided where lecture details have been advertised online and this page will be updated as more are made available. Please check lecture details with local organisers as these are liable to change without notice.

University of Wollongong,Building 20, Lecture Theatre Number 2 New South Wales

Contact Information

Professor Chao Zhang - czhang@uow.edu.au

11:00 AM December 13, 2017
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Add to Calendar 13/12/2017 11:00 AM 13/12/2017 11:00 AM Australia/Sydney Puzzle of Terahertz wave emission from liquid water with ultrafast laser pulses

2017 Selby Travelling Fellowship

About the talk

In this lecture Professor Xicheng Zhang will experimentally demonstrate the generation of broadband Terahertz (THz) waves from liquid water excited by femtosecond laser pulses and will postulate the physical model responsible for this generation.

Liquid water is a strong absorber in the THz frequency range, meaning that liquid water has historically been sworn off as a source for THz radiation. Here, Professor Zhang will experimentally demonstrate the generation of broadband THz waves from liquid water excited by femtosecond laser pulses. The THz radiation from liquid water shows distinct characteristics when compared with the THz radiation from air plasma with single color optical excitation. In contrast to THz air photonics, where in a short optical pulse duration results in a stronger THz field due to nonlinear optical effects, the THz field from liquid water is eminently maximized with a longer laser pulse duration. 

About the speaker

Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang's research interests center around Terahertz waves, also known as T-rays, which exist within a frequency range between microwave and infrared. His research is focused on the generation, detection, and applications of free-space THz beams with ultrafast optics.

Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang is M. Parker Givens Professor at The Institute of Optics, University of Rochester. A Fellow of AAAS, APS, IEEE, OSA, and SPIE, his recent awards include 2017 Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award; 2017 Australian Academy of Science Selby Fellow; 2014 International Society of IRMMW-THz Button Prize; 2012 OSA William F. Meggers Award; 2011 IEEE Photonics Society William Streifer Scientific Achievement Award; and 2009 Rensselaer William H. Wiley Award. He holds 14 professorships in foreign countries, 29 US patents, has authored or co-authored over 400 refereed scientific papers, and has an h-index of 81. Dr. Zhang is the Editor-in-Chief of Optics Letters.

The Selby Fellowship

Selby Fellowships are awarded to distinguished overseas scientists to visit to visit scientific centres in Australia. The Fellowship is financed through the generosity of the trustees of the Selby Scientific Foundation.

2017 Selby Lecture dates:

11 December 2017: The University of Adelaide, Time: TBA Building: TBA

13 December 2017: University of Wollongong, Building 20, Lecture Theatre Number 2 - 11:00am - 12:00pm

The above locations and dates are for guide. Links to organisers websites have been provided where lecture details have been advertised online and this page will be updated as more are made available. Please check lecture details with local organisers as these are liable to change without notice.

University of Wollongong,Building 20, Lecture Theatre Number 2 New South Wales false DD/MM/YYYY

Contact Information

Professor Chao Zhang - czhang@uow.edu.au

11:00 AM December 13, 2017

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