Detecting the full polarization state of terahertz transients

We have developed a detector which records the full polarization state of a terahertz (THz) pulse propagating in free space. The three-electrode photoconductive receiver simultaneously records the electric field of an electromagnetic pulse in two orthogonal directions as a function of time. A prototype device fabricated on Fe+ ion implanted InP exhibited a cross polarized extinction ratio better than 390:1. The design and optimization of this device are discussed along with its significance for the development of new forms of polarization sensitive time domain spectroscopy, including THz circular dichroism spectroscopy.