SBIR Phase I: A Portable High-Power Tunable Terahertz Source using a Two-Color VECSEL

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将开发一种新型的室温，窄线，高功率垂直外腔半导体激光器（VECSEL）THz源，该源基于高精细腔中高功率循环双波长场的差频混合。半导体量子阱增益介质具有独特的性质，即通过称为光谱烧孔的物理过程，可以在单个激光腔内同时产生多个波长。初步的实验已经证明了3 mW的太赫兹功率，远远超过（六个数量级）使用光学产生方案的CW太赫兹源的现有记录。该项目的目标是为简易爆炸装置的探测和反措施开发一个综合的来源/探测解决方案，其更广泛的影响/商业潜力将是一个具有价格竞争力的综合解决方案，将影响广泛的国防和商业应用。潜在的太赫兹应用范围从爆炸物和化学和生物制剂的远距离检测，到体内组织含水量，脂肪含量，血糖和胆固醇含量的测量以及癌症的诊断。在牙科中，THz可以提供X射线图像的强大替代方案。在食品加工行业，太赫兹波将有助于检测大肠杆菌和其他有毒细菌以及包装中的小缺陷。太赫兹光谱成像可以帮助执法部门检测违禁物质和伪造钞票。“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。"

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a novel room temperature, narrow-line, high power vertical external-cavity semiconductor laser (VECSEL) THz source based on difference-frequency-mixing of high-power circulating dual wavelength fields in a high-finesse cavity. Semiconductor quantum-well gain media have the unique property that multiple wavelengths can be simultaneously generated within single laser cavity through a physical process known as spectral hole-burning. A preliminary experiment has demonstrated 3mW of THz power, far exceeding (by six orders of magnitude) the existing record for CW THz sources using optical generation schemes. The project goal is to develop an integrated source/detection solution for detection of and countermeasures to improvised explosive devices.The broader impacts/commercial potential of this project will be a price competitive and comprehensive solution that would impact a broad range of defense and commercial applications. Potential THz applications range from the standoff detection of explosives and chemical and biological agents, to the measurement of in vivo tissue water content, fat content, blood glucose and cholesterol contents and the diagnosis of cancer. In dentistry THz may provide a powerful alternative to X-ray images. In the food processing industry THz waves will help detect E-coli and other poisonous bacteria as well as small imperfections in packaging. THz spectroscopic imaging can help Law-enforcement with the detection of prohibited substances and counterfeit bank notes."This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."