MRI: Development of a Sub-waivelength THz Spectral Imager for Photonic and Phononic Metamaterial and Devices Research at the Univesity of Arizona

研究目标和方法：本研究的目的是设计和建造一个最先进的太赫兹近场光谱成像仪。该方法结合了最近开发的计算传感技术和受超材料启发的电小型天线技术，以实现高度亚波长成像能力。这种增强的成像能力将改变当前对物理和生物过程以及太赫兹设备和系统工程的理解。知识优势：与现有的商用太赫兹仪器相比，先进技术的结合将产生具有前所未有的信噪比和分辨率的太赫兹近场光谱成像仪。参与的学生、博士后和教师将获得宝贵的实践经验，因为各个组成部分在项目过程中被整合到一个功能最先进的系统中，然后用于探索生物学和材料领域的前沿应用。此外，由此产生的仪器为进一步研究太赫兹波段的所有类型奠定了基础。更广泛的影响：由此产生的仪器不仅将提供给当地研究人员，而且还将提供给更广泛的太赫兹社区，包括当地工业和国家和国际合作者。这将使该仪器的独特功能能够在各种具有高社会和经济影响的太赫兹研究领域发挥作用，包括声子纳米结构的光谱学；被动和主动超材料的研究；以及单细胞生物过程的研究。这些机会将强烈鼓励学生，特别是来自代表性不足的群体和种族多样化的群体的学生，例如美国原住民托霍诺奥哈姆民族的学生参与。

Research Objectives and Approaches:The objective of this research is to design and construct a state-of-the-art terahertz near-field spectral imager. The approach is to combine recently developed computational sensing techniques and metamaterial-inspired electrically-small antenna technologies to achieve highly sub-wavelength imaging capabilities. This enhanced imaging capability will transform the current understanding of physical and biological processes as well as the engineering of terahertz devices and systems.Intellectual Merit:In contrast to existing commercially available terahertz instrumentation, the combination of advanced technologies will produce a terahertz near-field spectral imager with unprecedented signal-to-noise ratio and resolution.Participating students, postdocs, and faculty will gain invaluable practical experience as the individual components are integrated over the course of the project into a functioning state-of-the-art system that is then used to explore cutting-edge applications in biology and materials. In addition, the resulting instrument lays the groundwork for further research of all types in the terahertz band.Broader Impact:The resulting instrument will be made available not only to local researchers, but also to the wider terahertz community including local industry and national and international collaborators. This will allow the instrument's unique capabilities to be brought to bear on a variety of terahertz research areas with high societal and economic impact, including spectroscopy of phononic nanostructures; investigations of passive and active metamaterials; and studies of biological processes in single cells. These opportunities will strongly encourage students, especially from underrepresented groups and ethnically diverse populations, for example, the Native American Tohono O'odham Nation, to participate.