COherent Terahertz Systems (COTS)-opening up the terahertz spectrum for widespread application

在电磁频谱中的太赫兹(THz)频率区域，覆盖的频率范围大约是目前所有无线电、电视、蜂窝无线电、Wi-Fi、雷达和其他用户所占用的频率范围的一百倍，并且已经被证明是潜在的应用，从分子光谱到通信、高分辨率成像(例如在医疗和制药部门)和安全筛查。然而，在这一光谱范围内产生和探测辐射的基础技术仍然严重有限，主要基于钛蓝宝石(飞秒)脉冲激光和光导探测器技术，这相当于太赫兹，相当于电火花发射器和无线电信号的相干器接收器。因此，太赫兹频率范围并不受益于通常在微波/光学频率上使用的相干技术。我们的计划拨款将解决这一问题。我们最近在伦敦大学学院展示了基于光通信技术的技术来产生高光谱纯度的连续太赫兹信号，并在剑桥/利兹大学展示了最先进的太赫兹量子级联激光器(QCL)技术。我们将把这些国际领先的研究人员聚集在一起，在整个太赫兹频谱上创建相干系统。这些将被用于基础科学(例如，纳米结构和介观电子系统的研究)和应用，包括短距离高数据速率无线通信、信息处理、材料探测和三维高分辨率成像。

The terahertz (THz) frequency region within the electromagnetic spectrum, covers a frequency range of about one hundred times that currently occupied by all radio, television, cellular radio, Wi-Fi, radar and other users and has proven and potential applications ranging from molecular spectroscopy through to communications, high resolution imaging (e.g. in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors) and security screening. Yet, the underpinning technology for the generation and detection of radiation in this spectral range remains severely limited, being based principally on Ti:sapphire (femtosecond) pulsed laser and photoconductive detector technology, the THz equivalent of the spark transmitter and coherer receiver for radio signals. The THz frequency range therefore does not benefit from the coherent techniques routinely used at microwave/optical frequencies. Our programme grant will address this. We have recently demonstrated optical communications technology-based techniques for the generation of high spectral purity continuous wave THz signals at UCL, together with state-of-the-art THz quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology at Cambridge/Leeds. We will bring together these internationally-leading researchers to create coherent systems across the entire THz spectrum. These will be exploited both for fundamental science (e.g. the study of nanostructured and mesoscopic electron systems) and for applications including short-range high-data-rate wireless communications, information processing, materials detection and high resolution imaging in three dimensions.