Compact and cost-effective system for terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

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This Alliance project is a collaboration between the Ultrafast Terahertz (THz) Group of Dr. Ménard at the University of Ottawa and OZ Optics Limited, a world-leading company in the development and commercialization of optical components. The partners have a successful history of collaboration that previously resulted in key technical findings to improve THz generation and detection techniques. This project relies on these advances to demonstrate a THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) configuration based on a cost-effective ultrafast near-infrared laser. This laser replaces bulky and costly optical sources usually employed in commercial systems. Our goal is to demonstrate a compact and cost-effective THz-TDS configuration accessing a large spectral bandwidth from 0.2 to 6 THz and featuring a high detection sensitivity to characterize materials. The last part of the project will focus on device optimization towards medical diagnostic applications, notably to detect viruses and bacteria. The proposed collaborative project will establish a world-class training environment enabling innovation in the field of THz photonics, a fast growing imaging and characterization optical technology. The project will train undergraduates, graduate students, and one postdoc who will interact with an industrial research team and top-level managers from OZ Optics, to combine new scientific ideas towards the fabrication of a working prototype. Finally, gender balanced and GBA+ will be actively considered during recruitment and training of the research and technical teams.