Terahertz Excitation of Chiral Phonons Probed via the Faraday Effect

By combining two variably delayed THz pulses with vertical and horizontal polarizations, we create one combined THz pump pulse with circular polarization. This circular polarized THz pulse is used to excite chiral phonon motion in non-magnetic LiNbO
3
, which in turn induces a transient magnetic moment that we probe via the ultrafast Faraday effect.