A Tunable, High Power, Solid State Terahertz Source for Imaging and Spectroscopy

DOLCE Technologies, LLC, in collaboration with Professor Claire Gmachl’s research group at Princeton University, will develop and deliver an all solid-state, milliwatt-class Terahertz laser source. Upon completion of Phase II, devices will be available for distribution and use by the Terahertz imaging and spectroscopy communities where there is currently a lack of high-power, low-cost sources. Access to the frequency band is made possible through photonic down-conversion using difference frequency generation (DFG) in a Quantum Cascade (QC) laser with monolithically integrated resonant optical nonlinearities. During Phase I, both the QC lasers and the nonlinear media will be designed, fabricated and tested. In addition, we will demonstrate tunability of the Terahertz radiation in the 0.5 – 5 THz frequency band at room temperature. During Phase II, we will optimize the device design, improve the frequency agility of the source, and achieve the room temperature goal of > 10 mW of output power using an arrayed source if necessary. Phase II will also include the development of commercial grade packaging, and initial reliability testing results and the delivery of 10 milliwatt Terahertz sources. BENEFIT: The Terahertz frequency band is relatively underutilized for imaging and spectroscopy applications due to the scarcity of inexpensive, high power sources and sensitive detectors. DOLCE Technologies’ will fill this niche of nascent applications in the standoff sensing, chemical detection, and homeland security areas. Biomedical imaging, astronomical as well as terrestrial spectroscopy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing are just a few of the many technical arenas that will benefit from a stable, high power, low-cost, highly reliable source of Terahertz radiation. Finally, it is likely that no group of corporate founders possesses as solid a track record of commercializing SBIR/STTR products as the former Sensors Unlimited management team that makes up the DOLCE Technologies partnership. astronomical as well as terrestrial spectroscopy, and pharmaceutical manufacturing are just a few of the many technical arenas that will benefit from a stable, high power, low-cost, highly reliable source of Terahertz radiation. Finally, it is likely that no group of corporate founders possesses as solid a track record of commercializing SBIR/STTR products as the former Sensors Unlimited management team presented here.