A new horizon for neuroscience:terahertz biotechnology in brain research

Terahertz biotechnology has been increasingly applied in various biomedical fields and has especially shown great potential for application in brain sciences.In this article,we review the development of terahertz biotechnology and its applications in the field of neuropsychiatry.Available evidence indicates promising prospects for the use of terahertz spectroscopy and terahertz imaging techniques in the diagnosis of amyloid disease,cerebrovascular disease,glioma,psychiatric disease,traumatic brain injury,and myelin deficit.In vitro and animal experiments have also demonstrated the potential therapeutic value of terahertz technology in some neuropsychiatric diseases.Although the precise underlying mechanism of the interactions between terahertz electromagnetic waves and the biosystem is not yet fully understood,the research progress in this field shows great potential for biomedical noninvasive diagnostic and therapeutic applications.However,the biosafety of terahertz radiation requires further exploration regarding its two-sided efficacy in practical applications.This review demonstrates that terahertz biotechnology has the potential to be a promising method in the field of neuropsychiatry based on its unique advantages.

High photoelectric conversion efficiency and fast relaxation time of FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3) applied in ultrafast modulation of terahertz waves

Active control of terahertz(THz)waves is attracting tremendous attentions in terahertz communications and active photonic devices.Perovskite,due to its excellent photoelectric conversion performance and simple manufacturing process,has emerged as a promising candidate for optoelectronic applications.However,the exploration of perovskites in optically controlled THz modulators is still limited.In this work,the photoelectric properties and carrier dynamics of FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)perovskite films were investigated by optical pumped terahertz probe(OPTP)system.The ultrafast carrier dynamics reveal that FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)thin film exhibits rapid switching and relaxation time within picosecond level,suggesting that FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)is an ideal candidate for active THz devices with ultrafast response.Furthermore,as a proof of concept,a FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)-based metadevice with integrating plasma-induced transparency(PIT)effect was fabricated to achieve ultrafast modulation of THz wave.The experimental results demonstrated that the switching time of FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)-based THz modulator is near to 3.5 ps,and the threshold of optical pump is as low as 12.7μJ cm^(-2).The simulation results attribute the mechanism of ultrafast THz modulation to photo-induced free carriers in the FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)layer,which progressively shorten the capacitive gap of PIT resonator.This study not only illuminates the potential of FA_(0.4)MA_(0.6)PbI_(3)in THz modulation,but also contributes to the field of ultrafast photonic devices.

Stretchable,Transparent,and Ultra-Broadband Terahertz Shielding Thin Films Based on Wrinkled MXene Architectures

With the increasing demand for terahertz(THz)technology in security inspection,medical imaging,and flexible electronics,there is a significant need for stretchable and transparent THz electromagnetic interference(EMI)shielding materials.Existing EMI shielding materials,like opaque metals and carbon-based films,face challenges in achieving both high transparency and high shielding efficiency(SE).Here,a wrinkled structure strategy was proposed to construct ultra-thin,stretchable,and transparent terahertz shielding MXene films,which possesses both isotropous wrinkles(height about 50 nm)and periodic wrinkles(height about 500 nm).Compared to flat film,the wrinkled MXene film(8 nm)demonstrates a remarkable 36.5%increase in SE within the THz band.The wrinkled MXene film exhibits an EMI SE of 21.1 dB at the thickness of 100 nm,and an average EMI SE/t of 700 dBμm^(−1)over the 0.1-10 THz.Theoretical calculations suggest that the wrinkled structure enhances the film’s conductivity and surface plasmon resonances,resulting in an improved THz wave absorption.Additionally,the wrinkled structure enhances the MXene films’stretchability and stability.After bending and stretching(at 30%strain)cycles,the average THz transmittance of the wrinkled film is only 0.5%and 2.4%,respectively.The outstanding performances of the wrinkled MXene film make it a promising THz electromagnetic shielding materials for future smart windows and wearable electronics.

ESIT 2024: Gathering of Global Minds to Hangzhou for Cutting-Edge Infrared and Terahertz Innovation

The third Earth&Space:from Infrared to Terahertz International Conference(ESIT 2024)successfully took place in Hangzhou,China,from September 20 to 22,2024.Co-hosted by the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics,Chinese'Academy of Sciences(SITP)along with five prestigious institutions,the conference provided a premier platform for international collaboration on cutting-edge developments in infrared,terahertz,and space exploration technologies.

Terahertz toroidal dipole metamaterial sensors for detection of aflatoxin B1

Terahertz metamaterial biosensors have attracted significant attention in the biological field due to their advantages of label-free,real-time and in situ detection.In this paper,a highly sensitive metamaterial sensor with semi-ring mirror symmetry based on toroidal dipole resonance is designed for a new metamaterial biosensor.It is shown that a refractive index sensitivity of 337.5 GHz per refractive index unit can be achieved under an analyte of saturated thickness near a 1.33 THz transmission dip.For biosensor samples where aflatoxin B1 is dropped on the metamaterial surface in our experiment,dip amplitudes of transmission varying from 0.1904 to 0.203 and 0.2093 are observed as aflatoxin B1 concentrations are altered from 0 to 0.001μg·ml-1 and to 0.01μg·ml-1,respectively.Furthermore,when aflatoxin B1 concentrations are 0.1μg·ml-1,1μg·ml-1,10μg·ml-1 and 100μg·ml-1,dip amplitudes of 0.2179,0.226,0.2384 and 0.2527 and dip redshifts of 10.1 GHz,20.1 GHz,27.7 GHz and 37.6 GHz are respectively observed.These results illustrate high-sensitivity,label-free detection of aflatoxin B1,enriching the applications of sensors in the terahertz domain.

Polarimeter–interferometer diagnostic using terahertz solid-state sources for fluctuation measurements on Keda Torus e Xperiment(KTX)

A multi-channel polarimeter-interferometer has been developed on the Keda Torus eXperiment(KTX)for the study of equilibrium dynamics and internal magnetic fluctuations.A three-wave technique based on terahertz solid-state sources(-650 GHz)is applied for simultaneous measurements of electron density and Faraday rotation angle.The output power of the microwave source is 2 mW.Faraday rotation effect using a rotating wave plate is tested with phase noise less than 0.8°,and the density phase noise is less than 0.9°.Measurement of Faraday rotation angle and density for discharges on KTX have demonstrated high sensitivity to internal MHD activities.

Enhanced picosecond terahertz wave generation based on cascade effects in a terahertz parametric generator

Enhanced terahertz wave generation via a Stokes cascade process has been demonstrated using picosecond pulse pumped terahertz parametric generation at 1 kHz repetition rate.Clear cascade saturation of terahertz output was observed,and the corresponding cascade-Stokes spectra were analyzed.The maximum terahertz wave average power was 22μW under a pump power of 30 W,whereas the maximum power conversion efficiency was 8×10^(-7)under a pump power of 21 W.The THz power fluctuation was measured to be about 1%in 20 min.This THz parametric source with a relatively stable output is suitable for a variety of practical applications.

Phase-locked single-mode terahertz quantum cascade lasers array

We demonstrated a scheme of phase-locked terahertz quantum cascade lasers(THz QCLs)array,with a single-mode pulse power of 108 mW at 13 K.The device utilizes a Talbot cavity to achieve phase locking among five ridge lasers with first-order buried distributed feedback(DFB)grating,resulting in nearly five times amplification of the single-mode power.Due to the optimum length of Talbot cavity depends on wavelength,the combination of Talbot cavity with the DFB grating leads to better power amplification than the combination with multimode Fabry-Perot(F-P)cavities.The Talbot cavity facet reflects light back to the ridge array direction and achieves self-imaging in the array,enabling phase-locked operation of ridges.We set the spacing between adjacent elements to be 220μm,much larger than the free-space wavelength,ensuring the operation of the fundamental supermode throughout the laser's dynamic range and obtaining a high-brightness far-field distribution.This scheme provides a new approach for enhancing the single-mode power of THz QCLs.

Terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam with integer-order and fractional-order generated by spiral spherical harmonic axicon

We propose a new method to generate terahertz perfect vortex beam with integer-order and fractional-order. A new optical diffractive element composed of the phase combination of a spherical harmonic axicon and a spiral phase plate is designed and called spiral spherical harmonic axicon. A terahertz Gaussian beam passes through the spiral spherical harmonic axicon to generate a terahertz vortex beam. When only the topological charge number carried by spiral spherical harmonic axicon increases, the ring radius of terahertz vortex beam increases slightly, so the beam is shaped into a terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam. Importantly, the terahertz quasi-perfect vortex beam can carry not only integer-order topological charge number but also fractional-order topological charge number. This is the first time that vortex beam and quasi-perfect vortex beam with fractional-order have been successfully realized in terahertz domain and experiment.

Terahertz high-sensitivity SIS mixer based on Nb–AlN–NbN hybrid superconducting tunnel junctions

The terahertz band,a unique segment of the electromagnetic spectrum,is crucial for observing the cold,dark universe and plays a pivotal role in cutting-edge scientific research,including the study of cosmic environments that support life and imaging black holes.High-sensitivity superconductor–insulator–superconductor(SIS)mixers are essential detectors for terahertz astronomical telescopes and interferometric arrays.Compared to the commonly used classical Nb/AlO_(x)/Nb superconducting tunnel junction,the Nb/AlN/NbN hybrid superconducting tunnel junction has a higher energy gap voltage and can achieve a higher critical current density.This makes it particularly promising for the development of ultra-wideband,high-sensitivity coherent detectors or mixers in various scientific research fields.In this paper,we present a superconducting SIS mixer based on Nb/AlN/NbN parallel-connected twin junctions(PCTJ),which has a bandwidth extending up to490 GHz–720 GHz.The best achieved double-sideband(DSB)noise temperature(sensitivity)is below three times the quantum noise level.

High-Order Spatial FDTD Solver of Maxwell’s Equations for Terahertz Radiation Production

We applied a spatial high-order finite-difference-time-domain (HO-FDTD) scheme to solve 2D Maxwell’s equations in order to develop a fluid model employed to study the production of terahertz radiation by the filamentation of two femtosecond lasers in air plasma. We examined the performance of the applied scheme, in this context, we implemented the developed model to study selected phenomena in terahertz radiation production, such as the excitation energy and conversion efficiency of the produced THz radiation, in addition to the influence of the pulse chirping on properties of the produced radiation. The obtained numerical results have clarified that the applied HO-FDTD scheme is precisely accurate to solve Maxwell’s equations and sufficiently valid to study the production of terahertz radiation by the filamentation of two femtosecond lasers in air plasma.

Terahertz Spectroscopic Study of Standard Substances for Bituminous Coal and Anthracite

This study underscores the significance of online monitoring of standard substances for bituminous coal and anthracite,two commonly used fossil fuels.Terahertz technology emerges as a powerful non-destructive detection method capable of revealing the physical and chemical properties of measured objects.In this research,terahertz time-domain spectroscopy technology was employed to investigate the spectral characteristics of four distinct types of bituminous coal and anthracite samples.The refractive index and absorption coefficient spectra of these samples were calculated across a frequency range of 0.5 THz to 2.5 THz.Furthermore,principal component analysis was conducted using all refractive index and absorption coefficient data within this frequency band.Through the analysis and comparison with known parameters of coal standard materials,it was established that carbon content primarily influences the refractive index of bituminous coal and anthracite,while ash content predominantly affects the absorption effect.These findings underscore the potential of terahertz spectroscopy in conjunction with principal component analysis to qualitatively assess the similarities and differences between coal samples,thus offering novel insights for the online monitoring of diverse coal types and qualities.

Research on Detection of Food additives Based on Terahertz Spectroscopy and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is a kind of far-infrared spectroscopy technology,and its spectrum reflects the internal properties of substances with rich physical and chemical information,so the use of terahertz waves can be used to qualitatively identify food additives containing nitrogen elements.Analytic hierarchy process(AHP)was originally used to solve evaluation-type problems,and this paper introduces it into the field of terahertz spectral qualitative analysis,proposes a terahertz time-domain spectral qualitative identification method combined with analytic hierarchy process,and verifies the feasibility of the method by taking four common food additives(xylitol,L-alanine,sorbic acid,and benzoic acid)and two illegal additives(melamine,and Sudan Red No.I)as the objects of study.Firstly,the collected terahertz time-domain spectral data were pre-processed and transformed into a data set consisting of peaks,peak positions,peak numbers and overall trends;then,the data were divided into comparison and test sets,and a qualitative additive identification model incorporating analytic hierarchy process was constructed and parameter optimisation was performed.The results showed that the qualitative identification accuracies of additives based on single factors,i.e.,overall trend,peak value,peak position,and peak number,were 80.23%,70.93%,67.44%,and 40.70%,respectively,whereas the identification accuracy of the analytic hierarchy process qualitative identification method based on multi-factors could be improved to 92.44%.In addition,the fuzzy characterisation of the absorption spectrum data was binarised in the data pre-processing stage and used as the base data for the overall trend,and the recognition accuracy was improved to 94.19%by combining the fuzzy characterisation method of such data with the hierarchical analysis qualitative recognition model.The results show that it is feasible to use terahertz technology to identify different varieties of additives,and this paper constructs a hierarchical analytical qualitative model with better effect,which provides a new means for food additives detection,and the method is simple in steps,with a small demand for samples,which is suitable for the rapid detection of small samples.

二维透射式Terahertz波时域谱成像研究

通过THz(Terahertz)波的相位信息和振幅信息来解析出样品某些可用于成像的参量;并且对THz波相位信息成像和振幅信息成像进行了比较.结果显示当样品对THz波的吸收比较小时,利用THz波的相位信息进行成像比通过振幅信息进行成像质量要好一些;时域谱峰值位置的漂移会对相位信息成像产生较大的影响.实验中发现输出光谱中出现了劈裂现象,即由输入的单峰变成了双峰.分析表明,这一现象是由样品内部厚度或折射率突变导致的,该现象可用于THz波轮廓成像研究.

Determination of 2 Amides Pesticide Residues in Agricultural Products by Terahertz Time-domain Spectroscopy

[Objective] The aim was to explore the application of terahertz （THz） technique in pesticide recognition and residue determination. [Method] THz far-infrared spectral characteristics of 2 herbicides （butachlor and metolachlor） were measured by THz time-domain spectroscopy （THz-TDS） under conditions of room temperature and nitrogen,meanwhile their refractive index and absorption coefficient between 0.2 and 2.2 THz were calculated by using models based on Fresenl equations. [Result] The 2 pesticides both had a series of different characteristic absorption peaks between 0.2 and 2.2 THz,respectively. Their molecular structures were similar,but there were great difference in absorption and refractive index spectrum between them. [Conclusion] THz-TDS technique is feasible to detect pesticide residues,especially there is a greater advantage in identifying the structure of similar substances.

Terahertz波相干层析成像技术

介绍和讨论了Terahertz波相干层析成像技术(T-CT)。与X-射线计算机层析成像技术(X-CT)相比,Terahertz-CT可获得更丰富的信息来处理图像。理论上,该技术可获得被测物在Terahertz波段的复折射率的三维分布。这意味着有可能利用Terahertz-CT进行暗箱识别探测,该技术在安全检查和无损探测等方面有着广阔的前景。

Experimental measurements of water content in crude oil emulsions by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

We measured the water content （0.01% 0.25% w/w） in crude oil emulsions using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy （THz-TDS）. To improve the precision and range of the measurements, we used 1 and 10 mm thick quartz cells. The experiments were performed at 20 ℃ and the THz wave was transmitted vertically to the samples and detected on the other side. The experimental results suggest linear relation for the THz absorption coefficient and the water content of the crude oil emulsions in the observed range. The linear dependence facilitates high-precision measurements of the water content of crude oil. This suggests the potential of THz-TDS in determining the water concentration in crude oil and borehole fluid identification.

1-萘酚的太赫兹光谱实验及理论研究

1-萘酚是煤化工产物萘的合成产物,对环境和人体健康有危害.采用太赫兹时域光谱(THz-TDS)技术,获得了1-萘酚在0.5~4.0 THz范围内的实测太赫兹吸收谱,同时运用密度泛函理论(DFT)平面波赝势模型对1-萘酚晶胞模型进行理论光谱计算,探讨了平面波截断能在800~1600 eV范围内对理论光谱的影响,并对吸收峰的振动模式进行了理论归属.实验结果表明,1-萘酚在0.5~4.0 THz范围内有1.14 THz、1.60 THz、2.16 THz、2.81 THz、3.56 THz共5个吸收峰,平面波截断能1400 eV下得到的理论吸收谱与实测吸收谱在吸收峰个数、峰位、归一化峰强度上均有较好的一致性,5个吸收峰的振动模式均是以两元环为平面的受氢键束缚的面外摇摆振动或者面内扭转振动引起的.这为太赫兹技术对1-萘酚的识别提供了实验和理论基础,具有一定的理论意义和实际应用价值.

A Survey on Terahertz Communications

With the exponential growth of the data traffic in wireless communication systems, terahertz(THz) frequency band is envisioned as a promising candidate to support ultra-broadband for future beyond fifth generation(5G), bridging the gap between millimeter wave(mmWave) and optical frequency ranges. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive literature review on the development towards THz communications and presents some key technologies faced in THz wireless communication systems. Firstly, despite the substantial hardware problems that have to be developed in terms of the THz solid state superheterodyne receiver, high speed THz modulators and THz antennas, the practical THz channel model and the efficient THz beamforming are also described to compensate for the severe path attenuation. Moreover, two different kinds of lab-level THz communication systems are introduced minutely, named a solid state THz communication system and a spatial direct modulation THz communication system, respectively. The solid state THz system converts intermediate frequency(IF) modulated signal to THz frequency while the direct modulation THz system allows the high power THz sources to input for approving the relatively long distance communications. Finally, we discuss several potential application scenarios as well as some vital technical challenges that will be encountered in the future THz communications.

Feasibility of terahertz imaging for discrimination of human hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, and novel methods for early/rapid diagnosis of HCC are needed.Terahertz(THz) spectroscopy is considered to have the potential to distinguish between normal liver tissue and HCC tissue; however, there are few reports on it.We conduct this observational study to explore the feasibility of THz imaging for the diagnosis of HCC.AIM To evaluate the feasibility of THz for discriminating between HCC and normal liver tissues using fresh tissue specimens obtained from HCC patients who had undergone surgery.METHODS Normal liver tissue and HCC tissue were cryosectioned into 50 μm-thick slicesand placed on cover glass. Two adjacent tissue sections were separated subjected to histopathological examination by hematoxylin and eosin staining or THz transmission examination, and THz images were compared with pathologically mapped images. We determined the typical tumor and normal liver tissue regions by pathological examination; the corresponding areas of adjacent sections were examined by THz transmission.RESULTS The transmission rate of HCC tissue was 0.15-0.25, and the transmission rate of typical HCC tissue was about 0.2. THz transmittance in normal liver tissue is slightly higher than 0.4, but there were many influencing factors, including the degree of liver cirrhosis, fat components, ice crystals in frozen sections, and apoptosis.CONCLUSION In conclusion, this study shows that THz imaging can detect HCC tissue. Further research will yield more detailed data of the THz transmission rates of HCC tissue with different degrees of differentiation.