We propose to revolutionize the field of frequency-domain THz spectrometers by developing ~5 cm3 wide-band spectrometer with improved frequency accuracy, resolution and stability. Integration will also provide significant SWaP-C advantage compared to present solutions allowing deployment in small spacecraft platforms and other applications where low SWaP is crucial.
Compared to presently available spectrometers, we expect significant improvements:
Guaranteed long-term stability with built-in calibration until end-of-life (EOL)
The core of the spectrometer is a stable THz signal generator providing continuous tuning with the ability to lock to a particular frequency with long-term stability. Said signal generator is a crosscutting technology that can be used in mm-wave/THz communication systems, frequency hopping devices and sensing application.
The T8.02 Photonic Integrated Circuits topic specifically calls for integrated photonic sensors that include as example: Terahertz spectrometer. We propose to revolutionize the field of frequency-domain THz spectrometers by developing ~5 cm3 chip-scale spectrometer. The core of the spectrometer is a stable THz signal generator. Said generator is a crosscutting technology that can be used in mm-wave or THz communication systems as well as in sensing application as the envisioned THz spectrometer.
Terahertz spectroscopy can be used, among other things, for: explosive detection, narcotics detection, pharmaceutical quality control and tissue classification. This makes it very interesting for many government agencies such as DoD, DHS, EPA and HHS. In terms of non-government markets, the pharmaceutical industry could be one of the early adopters of said technology.