Potential Applications of Terahertz

The TeraNova programme is harnessing the properties of Terahertz Radiation for practical applications with immense potential benefits for society.

TeraNova will realise new lasers…

…and advance quantum cascade laser development.

Examples of some of the potential applications include…

Security Systems: Terahertz systems offer great potential for checking for the presence of drugs, explosives and other items beneath clothing or packaging. Terahertz can not only identify the presence of materials, but also identify them from their spectra. There are many papers on this topic by TeraNova members in a summer school volume, sponsored by the TeraNova consortium: Terahertz Frequency Detection and Identification of Materials and Objects, Springer Netherlands. ISBN 978-1-4020-6502-6.
Cancer Diagnosis: Terahertz radiation appears to be able to detect certain skin cancers and, possibly, epithelial cancers in the mouth. There is also very good evidence that Terahertz probes can be usefully used as intra-operative probes during breast cancer surgery. For more information, see work by TeraNova partner Teraview Ltd: http://www.teraview.com/terahertz/id/21
Monitor the presence of genetic mutations: Because biological structures such as DNA will exhibit characteristic "internal" motions, such as rotation, vibration and twisting at terahertz frequencies, it is possible to monitor the presence of mutations in the sequence of DNA bases using terahertz radiation. TeraNova partner at Siegen University (P. Haring Bolivar) leads this work and further details may be found at: http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/restricted/2007/March/TerahertzGapInToDeadZone.asp
Non-destructive testing systems: Because terahertz waves can penetrate many common materials, such as plastics or ceramics, and because they can be sent through such materials in pulses, it is possible to detect the presence of foreign bodies or flaws in structures such as laminates or composites. The method used is somewhat similar to that used in radar. For more details, see article by TeraNova partners at Durham, UK, in: Pulsed THz Signal Reconstruction Journal of Applied Physics 102, 113105 (2007)
Chemical Engineering Systems to observe the progress: Terahertz radiation is able to recognize the presence of certain chemicals, especially those with long organic molecules, and this property can be used to monitor the stages of a chemical reaction. Coupled with the ability to "see" through ceramics and plastics, this means that terahertz radiation could be a valuable tool for the chemical engineering industry. Also, because terahertz radiation is sensitive to the motion of the atoms in such molecules, it is possible to discriminate between chemicals that have the same chemical formula, but different physical structures. This property could be important in deciding which of two isomorphs is present in a pharmaceutical compound. Fore further detail, see: Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy and quantitative monitoring, M Graeme et al, www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v6/n3/abs/nmat1848.html
Instrumentation for the pharmaceuticals industry: Pharmaceuticals are often made in several layers, so that different drugs can be released at different times. To check the integrity of coatings, terahertz probes are ideal. These probes rely on the effects of reflection of pulses at the interfaces between layers. TeraNova partners Teraview Ltd have pioneered this activity and a simple review may be found at: http://www.ptemag.com/pharmtecheurope/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=390996
Instrumentation for the semiconductor industry: Semiconductor scientists have, for years, used terahertz frequency radiation to study impurities, carrier concentration and mobility, and to map out the fundamental physics that governs the way that electrons move in a semiconductor. Scientists in the TeraNova group are using this approach to determine important properties of semiconductor wafers without destroying them in the analysis process. For further details, contact TeraNova partners TU Wien (http://www.fke.tuwien.ac.at/CHARLY/Welcome.htm)
Microscope Systems: At present we are "blind" to the properties of small quantities of materials, especially living materials such as cells, in the terahertz range of frequencies. It is important to develop new techniques of near field spectroscopy for potential applications in biological research. One group in the TeraNova consortium, at TU Delft, NL, is developing such an instrument. For more information, see: Towards terahertz near-field microscopy van der Valk N C J & Planken P C M. Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and Engineering Sciences 2004;362(1815):315-9; discussion 319-21.
Communications systems: Terahertz communication systems may offer many advantages in terms of antenna size and bandwidth. They are, at present, in their infancy but promising results are reported for transmission of broadband signals through free space, despite the problems of atmospheric attenuation. For more details, see: Terahertz Communications: A 2020 vision, M. Koch, in: Terahertz Frequency Detection and Identification of Materials and Objects, NATO Security through Science Series, Springer Netherlands, 2007.