太赫兹波(TeraHertz)科学与技术

TERAHERTZ SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

本文介绍了太赫兹波的一些重要性质,太赫兹波的产生和探测技术,以及目前国际上在太赫兹波的基础研究和应用基础研究方面的最新进展,并简单讨论了太赫兹波技术的发展前景。

Terahertz (THz) wave or T - ray, electromagnetic radiation in a frequency interval from 0.1 to 10 THz, is the next frontier in imaging science and technology. THz radiation, or THz wave, occupies a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between the infrared and microwave bands (in different units: 1 THz or 1 ps or 300 μm or 33 cm-1 or 4.1 meV or47.6°K.). However, compared to the relatively well-developed medical imaging at microwave and optical frequencies, basic research, new initiatives and advanced technology developments in the THz band are very limited. THz band is a scientifically rich but technologically limited frequency band, due to the less developed THz wave emitters and receivers, compared with its neighboring bands (microwave and optical bands) . During the past decade, THz waves have been used to characterize the electronic, vibrational and compositional properties of solid, liquid and gas phase materials. It is a common belief that the future ' killer-application ' of THz waves will be in biomedicine. This article overviews terahertz wave generation, propagation, detection, and application, with emphasis on state-of-the-art science and technology.