Abstract:
In recent years, terahertz waves have garnered significant attention due to their unique properties. Among them, terahertz vector beams with different polarization characteristics exhibit novel spatial distributions and show increasingly broad prospects for applications. This review explores the generation methods of terahertz vector beams, their applications in various fields, and future development directions. Firstly, the methods for generating terahertz vector beams are systematically classified, and the research progress in terahertz vector beam generation is introduced. The principles of these methods and the characteristics of the generated vector beams are elaborated in detail. In addition, typical applications using terahertz vector beams are summarized. Lastly, the challenges and possibilities of terahertz vector field manipulation using different devices are prospected. The review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the generation and application of terahertz vector beams and offer guidance for future related research and development.