Event

Terahertz-frequency light pulses can now be generated routinely with field amplitudes sufficient to drive highly nonlinear responses of materials and molecules. Methods for THz pulse generation and nonlinear THz spectroscopy will be discussed briefly, and then results of driving electronic, ionic, and spin degrees of freedom will be illustrated. THz-induced electronic and structural phase transitions will be highlighted. THz-frequency polaritons in which material and electromagnetic modes are strongly mixed will be introduced, and novel states of matter involving THz polaritons will be proposed.