Generation of intense terahertz waves and its applications

Strong-field terahertz waves not only have high peak power but also possess strong electromagnetic field components. When electrons encounters strong-field terahertz waves, a series of novel changes are induced, which have attracted extensive attention. This review first introduces common optical sources for strong-field terahertz emission, such as photoconductive antennas, optical rectification crystals, and air plasmas. Subsequently, recent applications of strong-field terahertz technology in material state modulation are presented, mainly including strong-field terahertz wave-driven hot carrier motion, coherent phonon control, spintronics, electron acceleration, and biomedicine.