Recent advances in terahertz technology for security and biomedical applications

Abstract

Terahertz waves have low photon energies (~ 4.1 meV for 1 THz), which is about 1 million times weaker than the energy of X-ray photons. They do not cause any harmful ionization in biological tissues. The terahertz radiation is strongly attenuated by water and is very sensitive to water content. This paper provides current status and recent advances in terahertz technology for security and medical applications. In particular, we report on our designs of THz quantum cascade lasers to identify cancerous tissues and other medical issues.