SBIR Phase II: High Resolution Tunable Receiver For Remote THz Sensing

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段研究项目旨在开发用于检测太赫兹（THz）信号的设备和基于这些设备的光谱仪。到目前为止，由于缺乏合适的电子设备，电磁频谱的THz区域只能通过使用大型和昂贵的科学仪器才能到达。目的是开发一种简单、低成本、低功率的接收器，使这一重要地区能够进入。太赫兹外差接收机的三个关键部件是天线、微测辐射热计/混频器和作为本机振荡器的量子级联激光器。有了这些新的组件，就有可能开发一种便携式，现场部署的太赫兹光谱仪，能够监测各种各样的气体在其附近。高灵敏度光谱仪将允许快速识别化学品和遥感气体，用于环境，全球变暖和国土安全应用。 这项研究的更广泛的影响是，太赫兹接收器，它具有高灵敏度和高光谱分辨率无法实现现有的设备，可以用于更广泛的各种成像和筛选设备。人员的THz筛查是非侵入性和无害的。爆炸物和生物制剂即使隐藏在衣服和行李箱中也可以被检测和识别，因为太赫兹辐射可以通过衣服和行李传播。 该接收机还具有提供生物材料太赫兹成像和数字信号宽带传输的潜力。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II research project is aimed at developing devices for the detection of terahertz (THz) signals and a spectrometer based on these devices. To date, the lack of suitable electronic devices have made the THz region of the electromagnetic spectrum inaccessible except by use of large and costly scientific instruments. The aim is to develop a simple, low-cost, low-power receiver which will make this important region accessible. The three critical components of the THz heterodyne receiver are an antenna, microbolometer/mixer and quantum cascade laser which functions as a local oscillator. With these novel components it is possible to develop a portable, field-deployable THz spectrometer capable of monitoring a wide variety of gases in its vicinity. The high-sensitivity spectrometer will allow rapid identification of chemicals and remote sensing of gases for environmental, global warming, and homeland security applications. The broader impacts of this research are that the THz receiver, which has high sensitivity and high spectral resolution not achievable with existing devices, can be used in a much wider variety of imaging and screening devices. THz screening of personnel is non-invasive and harmless. Explosives and biological agents can be detected and identified even if concealed in clothing and suitcases because the THz radiation is transmitted through clothing and luggage. The proposed receiver also has a potential of providing THz imaging of biological materials and broad-band transmitting of digital signals.