Optical properties and potential of LB4 for THz wave generation

Optical properties of a Li2B4O7 (LB4) crystal are determined in the spectral range 0.2-1.6 THz. Dispersion of the refractive index components for o- and e-wave are approximated in the form of Sellmeier equations. They are subsequently used to determine the possible interaction types and to calculate the phase-matching angles to get THz waves by difference frequency generation. The damage threshold is determined as well as the coherence length for all possible types of three wave interactions under the pump by fs Ti: Sapphire laser pulses at 950 nm. The efficiency of the processes is estimated. Using trains of hundreds of pulses at 950 nm it was found to be 1.32 times of that for β-BBO crystal laser pump.