Searching for a Solid-State Terahertz Technology

摘要

The range of frequencies around 1 terahertz (THz = 10~(12) cycles per second) is like the neglected middle child in the electromagnetic spectrum. Both microwaves (< 0.1 THz) and infrared radiation (> 20 THz) are used widely, thanks to the combination of high technical performance and mass-produced solid-state microelectronics. Caught in between, the THz spectrum has yet to be used in a mature solid-state device. The pace of recent advances gives hope, however, for a viable THz technology that would permit such applications as sensors for fast, high-specificity chemical detection and new modes of biological and medical imaging.