Advanced terahertz quantum cascade lasers for frequency comb and mode locking operation

在太赫兹（THz）频率范围（1-10 THz，1 THz = 1 E12 Hz）中的电磁波在过去十年中受到了广泛关注，主要是因为它们具有革命性重要应用的潜力，包括生物化学物种检测、天文光谱学、太赫兹成像和光学无线通信等。自2002年问世以来，太赫兹量子级联激光器（QCL）由于其紧凑性，高效率和波长可调性而迅速成为一种有前途的相干光源;然而，在实际应用中适当地调整这些设备存在很大困难，其中最有前途的是高性能光谱学。为了应对这一挑战，拟议的研究计划旨在开发一种基于THz QCL的频率梳器件，以在THz范围内产生稳定和均匀的多波长发射，这将允许高分辨率，易于操作的THz光谱测量。这将为创新奠定基础，这些创新具有更快和低成本地检测威胁生命的疾病（如皮肤癌）的巨大潜力，在安全检查站更准确和迅速地筛查危险爆炸物，以及更广泛和可靠地部署先进的环境监测和保护。

Electromagnetic waves in the terahertz (THz) frequency range (1-10 THz, 1THz = 1E12 Hz) have received intensive attention over the last decade owing primarily to their potential to revolutionize important applications, including, among many others, bio-chemical species detection, astronomical spectroscopy, terahertz imaging and optical wireless communication. Since their inception in 2002, THz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have quickly emerged as a promising coherent light source because of their compactness, high efficiency and wavelength tenability; however, there is significant difficulty in properly adapting these devices for practical applications, the most promising of which is high-performance spectroscopy. In response to this challenge, the proposed research program aims to develop a THz QCL-based frequency comb device to generate stable and uniform multiple-wavelength emissions in the THz range, which would allow high-resolution, easy-to-operate THz spectral measurements. This would lay the groundwork for innovations that have strong potential for much faster and low-cost detection of life-threatening diseases (such as skin cancer), more accurate and expeditious screening of dangerous explosives at security checkpoints, and much wider and reliable deployment of advanced environmental monitoring and protection.