New terahertz radiation detector developed by Photonics Centre researchers

Terahertz waves make it possible to see through opaque materials such as clothes, paper, plaster, and porcelain. The terahertz range includes spectra of protein and DNA molecules, explosives, and many other substances. Among other things, such radiation can be used for non-destructive testing of materials and for scanning luggage at airports.

"Terahertz radiation makes it possible to obtain an X-ray-like image without the use of potentially harmful rays. The terahertz sensor is a passive sensor and is absolutely harmless to humans, since the source of signals in this case is natural radiation from objects," explains Professor Mikhail Bakunov, one of the authors of the invention.

The pulsed terahertz radiation detector is a layer of lithium niobate with a special crystallographic orientation and a silicon prism attached to it. UNN scientists Mikhail Bakunov and Alexander Shugurov have applied for a patent for this invention. They are developing a method for terahertz introscopy based on the new detector to analyse the composition and to control the quality of pharmaceuticals.

Terahertz spectroscopy may also be useful to develop technologies for monitoring and forecasting environmental conditions, preventing and eliminating environmental pollution.

"Exploiting this new wave range is actually a technological breakthrough, a serious alternative to radio waves and X-rays. The generation, detection, and processing of terahertz signals is a highly nontrivial task, and Lobachevsky University is one of the world leaders in this area," said Mikhail Ivanchenko, UNN Vice-Rector for Research.