Juraj Darmo, Dominic Bachmann, Karl Unterrainer
A group of scientists from TU Wien and ETH Zurich have succeeded in their attempts to generate ultrashort terahertz light pulses. With lengths of just a few picoseconds, these pulses are ideally suited to spectroscopic applications and enable extremely precise frequency measurements to be taken. Illustration of a broadband terahertz amplifier based on a quantum cascade laser. It allows for an amplifier range of more than 1 THz and the generation of ultrashort light pulses with record pulse widths of 3 ps. The unique properties of terahertz radiation mean it is of interest for a wide range of potential applications, including non-invasive medical imaging and the detection of hazardous substances. Terahertz waves can penetrate many materials that are opaque to visible light and, unlike X-radiation, do not pose a risk of damage to biological tissue. In addition to this, many substances have a molecular fingerprint in the terahertz range, allowing them to be detected using spectroscopic methods.
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