SBIR Phase II: Compact, High-Power, Terahertz (THz) Radiation Source

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a tunable, compact, high-power Terahertz (THz) radiation source. The unique discriminator of the source is the projected power level, which is orders of magnitude greater than available semiconductor sources, should enable for the first time both wide field of view (FOV) imaging and high-throughput spectroscopic interrogation from a compact package. The Phase II program will complete the final design of the THz source developed in Phase I and described in the final technical report, fabricate a prototype device and demonstrate its performance at a THz research laboratory. The goal of the project is to demonstrate that the concept can deliver tens of watts of THz power from a device that is sufficiently robust and compact to be transportable and operate in the field. The THz spectral region combines many desirable features for spectroscopic and imaging applications. However, higher-powered, compact sources, such as that here, are needed to deliver practical throughput rates and the signal-to-noise ratio required for many commercial applications. The major medical imaging applications being developed are the detection of breast and basal cell carcinomas. Pharmaceutical industry applications include drug discovery and quality assurance, DNA analysis and proteomics. In the homeland security and defense arenas, the potential applications include standoff chemical and biological agent and explosive detection. THz systems are finding increasingly widespread use in scientific and University R&D environments for non-destructive evaluation and medical applications.