Abstract
Far-Infared (FIR) spectroscopy has, for many years, been a powerful tool for the study of the chemical and structural properties of Condensed Matter. Fourier Transform Far-Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has provided clear proof of the importance of Terahertz frequency radiation in detecting the spectral signatures of elementary excitations in solids, liquids, gases and even in more complex materials such as DNA and human tissue. The terahertz sources used in this work to date have all been based on blackbody radiation. Other sources such the Free Electron Laser (FEL), optically pumped FIR gas lasers, and semiconducting p-Ge lasers have become available but their widespread use in THz technology is limited by problems of large size, tunability or the necessity of low (liquid He) operating temperatures. These drawbacks have seriously limited the use of these sources, not only in FTIR, but also in new and important imaging and spectroscopical applications in the biomedical sciences, surveillance technologies, industrial process control and communications. The lack of a compact, powerful and tunable THz source has significantly restricted applications in this area of optics. The absence of a compact THz source has created what has come to be known as the ”Terahertz Gap” viz, the band of frequencies between 0.1 and 100 THz where it is difficult to generate power.
Published Version
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