Terahertz emission, detection, and military applications

Dong Ho Wu; Jerry R. Meyer

doi:10.1117/12.549334

8 September 2004 Terahertz emission, detection, and military applications

Dong Ho Wu, Jerry R. Meyer

Proceedings Volume 5411, Terahertz for Military and Security Applications II; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.549334
Event: Defense and Security, 2004, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

We review the current status of terahertz technologies, especially terahertz beam generators and detectors, which include those being developed in our laboratory. Of the many promising terahertz technologies, only a few may currently be suitable for military applications in the field, which require a high-power terahertz output and a high sensitivity in detection. In addition to these requirements, terahertz imaging for military applications demands focal-plane-arrayed detectors. Presently we are developing a terahertz source based on a modified difference-frequency technique, in which we employ an optical parametric method. We used a Nd:YAG Q-switched laser as a pump source, and LiNbO₃ and GaSe crystals as the optical parametric medium. The phase matching condition is achieved by means of our new electro-optical tuning technique. Our preliminary experiments indicate that the new tuning technique enhances the terahertz-beam output power. Although the output power is currently unstable, our source can produce terahertz peak power as high as a few watts. For terahertz detection we use a Si-bolometer or an electro-optic (EO) detector. In addition to these sensors we are presently developing a new detector based on a quantum dot structure. The sensitivity of the quantum dot detector is expected to be about 10^-21 W/(Hz)^1/2 in terms of the noise equivalent power (NEP); this is orders of magnitude better than the sensitivity of our bolometer (10^-13 W/(Hz)^1/2) at 4.2 K or our EO detector (10^-12 W/(Hz)^1/2) at room temperature.

Citation Download Citation

Dong Ho Wu and Jerry R. Meyer "Terahertz emission, detection, and military applications", Proc. SPIE 5411, Terahertz for Military and Security Applications II, (8 September 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.549334

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