Article | REF: P2145 V1

Technological advances in Terahertz sources and sensors. Towards industrial transfer

Author: Patrick MOUNAIX

Publication date: February 10, 2022

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ABSTRACT

The térahertz domain, also called “far infrared”, remains an area of the electromagnetic spectrum that is little used by industrialists. The main cause is a certain lack of compact and efficient sources and detectors, compatible with industrial requirements. With advances in ultra-high frequency electronics and optics, equipment becomes more efficient over a wide frequency band with more power for emission and more sensitivity for detection. This article proposes to shed light on recent innovations which enrich the exploitation of this wave. Many applications are used by the industrial community and will be detailed

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AUTHOR

  • Patrick MOUNAIX: Research Director, CNRS IMS UMR CNRS 5218, Bât. A31, 351 cours de la Libération, Talence Cedex, France

 INTRODUCTION

Terahertz (THz) radiation is a promising candidate for industrial radiography and many NDT imaging applications, due to its many unique applications and interesting properties. In the electromagnetic spectrum, terahertz (THz) or submillimeter waves are located between infrared and microwaves. The terahertz (THz) band (or gap) extends from 100 GHz to 10 THz, corresponding to a wavelength of around 3 to 0.03 mm. This is very low-energy radiation (a few meV), which interacts with matter mainly through collective modes of vibration and molecular rotation. These rays have the property of being highly penetrating in dielectric or poorly conducting materials. This property makes it possible to obtain qualitative or quantitative information on materials, such as the presence of defects using imaging techniques, or their composition and dimensional control using spectroscopy. The advantages of terahertz technology are numerous: in-depth analysis of dielectric materials, sub-millimeter resolution, non-ionizing radiation (i.e. no danger to the operator), non-contact diagnosis (i.e. no alteration to the part or part surface), and a high capacity for detecting or measuring humidity.

However, the implementation of terahertz sources remains difficult due to the current limitations of silicon technology, and little research has been carried out. As a result, all these imaging systems are subject to incremental improvements that are linked to the dynamics of technological progress.

Thanks to laboratory research in the fields of ultra-high-frequency electronics and optoelectronics, the development of terahertz NDT systems is now possible, thanks in particular to improved technological building blocks and lower component manufacturing costs. Terahertz technology is applicable to a wide range of industrial sectors, including construction, transport and food processing.

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KEYWORDS

Terahertz imaging   |   far infrared   |   THz camera   |   THz non destructing testing   |   THz holography   |   THz communication


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