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The spatiotemporal distribution of terahertz (THz) radiation from plasma has been demonstrated with the technology of THz focal-plane imaging. It has been found that the spatiotemporal distribution will vary with the frequency, as well as the length of plasma. A doughnut-shaped distribution appears in the lower frequency range, while the bell-shaped distribution corresponds to the higher frequency range. For plasmas with different lengths, their generated THz images in the time domain are similar, the THz images in the frequency domain as well. The spatiotemporal distributions are simulated with the off-axis-phase matching theory. All the findings will renew the understanding of the THz generation from plasma induced by two-color pulses.

A circularly polarized vortex beam possesses similar focusing properties as a radially polarized beam. This type of beam is highly valuable for developing optical manufacturing technology, microscopy, and particle manipulation. In this work, a left-hand circularly polarized terahertz (THz) vortex beam (CPTVB) is generated by utilizing a THz quarter wave plate and a spiral phase plate. Focusing properties of its longitudinal component Ez are detailedly discussed on the simulation and experiment. With reducing the F-number of the THz beam and comparing with a transverse component Ex of a general circularly polarized THz beam, the simulation results show that the focal spot size and intensity of its Ez component can reach 87 and 50% of Ex under a same focusing condition. In addition, the experimental results still demonstrate that the left-hand CPTVB can always maintain fine Ez focusing properties in a broad bandwidth, which manifest the feasibility of this class of THz beams.