The gain enhancement effect of surface plasmon polaritons on terahertz stimulated emission in optically pumped monolayer graphene

Abstract

Nonlinear carrier relaxation/recombination dynamics and the resultant stimulated terahertz (THz) photon emission with excitation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in photoexcited monolayer graphene has been experimentally studied using an optical pump/THz probe and an optical probe measurement. We observed the spatial distribution of the THz probe pulse intensities under linear polarization of optical pump and THz probe pulses. It was clearly observed that an intense THz probe pulse was detected only at the area where the incoming THz probe pulse takes a transverse magnetic (TM) mode capable of exciting the SPPs. The observed gain factor is in fair agreement with the theoretical calculations. Experimental results support the occurrence of the gain enhancement by the excitation of SPPs on THz stimulated emission in optically pumped monolayer graphene.