Towards broadband terahertz generation due to coherent phonon–polariton excitations in centrosymmetric media

In this work, four-wave difference-frequency generation in centrosymmetric media doped with three-level quantum systems is investigated theoretically. Terahertz radiation generation in the coherent regime of interaction, where the durations of optical pulses are shorter than the relaxation time of coherences induced in two-and one-photon resonant transitions, is analyzed. It is shown that the coherent regime of four-wave frequency mixing enhances the efficiency of radiation generation in the terahertz frequency range. Quantum confined systems (e.g., atoms and molecules in nanoparticles) should be considered as possible media for practical implementation of the method. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America