MRI: Acquisition of a Terahertz System for Medical and Biological Imaging and Nanomaterial Characterization Research at the University of Arkansas

这项研究的目的是支持非破坏性、非危险和非侵入性成像在工程、医学和生物科学中的应用。该方法基于脉冲太赫兹光谱和成像，其光谱范围从0.06到3太赫兹，高分辨率可达80微米。该项目的智力价值在于它有助于我们在广泛的应用中理解和利用太赫兹辐射和成像技术。这些措施包括调查切除组织的乳腺肿瘤边缘，以帮助减少癌症复发；指导纳米声学成像材料和设备的制造；研究生态学研究中的水分和真菌存在，以及了解和监测癌症治疗的热消融。与可见光相比，太赫兹光的优势在于散射较少，可以深入物体成像。太赫兹仪器的供应通过为研究生和本科生以及博士后研究人员提供获得独特的教育、研究和培训机会，产生了重大的更广泛的影响。代表不足的学生将通过阿肯色大学的多样性倡议参与培训机会。太赫兹技术为涂层材料提供了无损和快速的表征，这些涂层材料将影响汽车、飞机、食品、制药、半导体和太阳能光伏能源行业。太赫兹医学成像的能力将促进口腔保健以及皮肤癌和乳腺癌的检测和治疗。太赫兹技术提供了安全的成像和筛查，将推进隐藏爆炸物的识别和机场人员筛查，以及邮件筛查生物威胁，这将影响国家安全。

The objective of this research is to support non-destructive, non-hazardous and non-invasive imaging applications in engineering, medical, and biological sciences. The approach is based on pulsed terahertz spectroscopy and imaging that has a spectral range from 0.06 to 3 terahertz with high resolution up to 80 Ým. The intellectual merit of this project lies in its contribution to our understanding and utilization of terahertz radiation and imaging techniques in a wide variety of applications. These include investigating breast tumor margins of excised tissue to help reduce cancer recurrence; guiding the fabrication of nano-acoustic imaging materials and devices; studying water content and fungal presence in ecological research, and understanding and monitoring thermal ablation for cancer therapy. The advantage of terahertz light over visible light is that scattering is less allowing imaging deep into an object. The availability of the terahertz instrument has significant broader impact through providing access to unique education, research and training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Underrepresented students will be engaged in training opportunities through diversity initiatives at the University of Arkansas. Terahertz technology provides non-destructive and rapid characterization of coating materials that will impact automobile, aircraft, food, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and solar photovoltaic energy industry. The capability of terahertz medical imaging will advance oral healthcare and skin and breast cancer detection and treatment. Terahertz technology provides safe imaging and screening that will advance the identification of hidden explosives and personnel screening at airports and mail screening for bio-threats, which will impact national security.