Terahertz wave emission from water lines

To make further understanding of terahertz (THz) wave generation from liquid water, we study THz wave emission from water lines of different diameters. The water line with a smaller diameter generates a stronger THz electric field for the diameters from 0.2 mm to 0.5 mm. The THz electric field strength and polarity change with the relative position between the incident laser and water line. Moreover, the THz energy has an optimal radiation angle of about 60°. A two-dimensional dipole array model is introduced to illustrate the phenomenon. Our observations contribute to optimizing the scheme of the liquid THz source.