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Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry

, Volume 397, Issue 3, pp 1009–1017 | Cite as

Chemical sensing and imaging with pulsed terahertz radiation

  • Markus Walther
  • Bernd M. Fischer
  • Alex Ortner
  • Andreas Bitzer
  • Andreas Thoman
  • Hanspeter Helm
Review
First Online:

Abstract

Over the past decade, terahertz spectroscopy has evolved into a versatile tool for chemically selective sensing and imaging applications. In particular, the potential to coherently generate and detect short, and hence, broadband terahertz pulses led to the development of efficient and compact spectrometers for this interesting part of the electromagnetic spectrum, where common packaging materials are transparent and many chemical compounds show characteristic absorptions. Although early proof-of-principle demonstrations have shown the great potential of terahertz spectroscopy for sensing and imaging, the technology still often lacks the required sensitivity and suffers from its intrinsically poor spatial resolution. In this review we discuss the current potential of terahertz pulse spectroscopy and highlight recent technological advances geared towards both enhancing spectral sensitivity and increasing spatial resolution.

Online abstract figure

Artist's view of a terahertz pulse emitted from a photoconductive antenna probing the vibrational modes of a sugar molecule.

Keywords

Terahertz spectroscopy Terahertz imaging Lab-on-chip 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

M.W. acknowledges funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) through grant no. WA 2641, by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Science and Arts Research Seed Capital (RiSC) for young researchers, and by the University of Freiburg.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Markus Walther
    • 1
  • Bernd M. Fischer
    • 2
    • 3
  • Alex Ortner
    • 1
  • Andreas Bitzer
    • 1
  • Andreas Thoman
    • 1
  • Hanspeter Helm
    • 1
  1. 1.Freiburg Materials Research CenterUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
  2. 2.French-German Research Institute of Saint LouisSaint Louis CedexFrance
  3. 3.University of Adelaide,School of Electrical and Electronic EngineeringAdelaideAustralia

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