Spatial and Temporal Field Evolution of Evanescent Single-Cycle THz Pulses

The temporal and spatial evolution of single-cycle THz pulses travelling across a dielectric boundary with effective surface velocity below c has been examined. The resulting subluminal evanescent waves in the near field vacuum region are potential drivers of particle accelerators. The electro-optic temporal and spatial imaging of the THz pulses emitted from the surface were measured in the near field, as a function of distance from the dielectric boundary, and reveal both temporal broadening and field decay that is dependent on the effective velocity of the wave in the plane of the boundary.