Finite-difference time-domain analysis of time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy experiments

Abstract

In this paper we report on the numerical analysis of a time-resolved terahertz (THz) spectroscopy experiment using a modified finite-difference time-domain method. Using this method, we show that ultrafast carrier dynamics can be extracted with a time resolution smaller than the duration of the THz probe pulse and can be determined solely by the pump pulse duration. Our method is found to reproduce complicated two-dimensional transient conductivity maps exceedingly well, demonstrating the power of the time-domain numerical method for extracting ultrafast and dynamic transport parameters from time-resolved THz spectroscopy experiments. The numerical implementation is available online.