Continuous-Wave Terahertz Photomixer Systems for Real-World Applications

The terahertz (THz) region is beginning to be exploited for many “real world” applications. The development of pulsed photoconductive THz generation and detection has already yielded a range of successful products, and further research into both applications and complementary THz technologies promises much more. In security screening, THz radiation has potential to image through clothing to detect concealed objects. In medical imaging, THz shows promise in both diagnosis roles and as a surgical tool. There are also many hitherto unexploited applications in both analytical spectroscopy and gas phase sensing. However, the demonstration of performance and functionality is only the first step in a product development process, which must also address commercial and physical constraints. Continuous-wave (cw) THz systems based on photomixer technology are attracting increasing interest, and appear to fulfill many of these criteria. In this chapter, an overview of this technique and practical implementation considerations for “real world” applications are discussed, with demonstrations of our cw technology and routes to future commercial development.