Terahertz Wave Detection Research Articles

Utilizing quantum coherence in Cs Rydberg atoms for high-sensitivity room-temperature terahertz detection: a theoretical exploration

In recent years, terahertz (THz) technology has made significant progress in numerous applications; however, the highly sensitive, room-temperature THz detectors are still rare, which is one of the bottlenecks in THz research. In this paper, we proposed a room-temperature electrometry method for THz detection by laser spectroscopy of cesium (Cs133) Rydberg atoms, and conducted a comprehensive investigation of the five-level system involving electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA), and Autler–Townes (AT) splitting in Cs133 cascades. By solving the Lindblad master equation, we found that the influence of the THz electric field, probe laser, dressing laser, and Rydberg laser on the ground state atomic population as well as the coherence between the ground state and the Rydberg state, plays a crucial role in the transformation and amplitude of the EIT and EIA signals. Temperature and the atomic vapor cell’s dimensions affect the number of Cs133 atoms involved in the detection, and ultimately determine the sensitivity. We predicted the proposed quantum coherence THz detection method has a remarkable sensitivity of as low as 10−9 V m−1 Hz−1/2. This research offers a valuable theoretical basis for implementing and optimizing quantum coherence effects based on Rydberg atoms for THz wave detection with high sensitivity and room-temperature operation.

Highly integrated automatic injection terahertz microfluidic biosensor based on metasurface and LT-GaAs photoconductive antenna

In this paper, a highly integrated terahertz (THz) biosensor is proposed and implemented, which pioneered the preparation of low-temperature gallium arsenide (LT-GaAs) thin film photoconductive antenna (PCA) on the sensor for direct generation and detection of THz waves, simplifying complex terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) systems. A latch type metasurface is deposited in the detection region to produce a resonance absorption peak at 0.6 THz that is independent of polarisation. Microfluidics is utilised and automatic injection is incorporated to mitigate the experimental effects of hydrogen bond absorption of THz waves in aqueous-based environment. Additionally, cell damage is minimised by regulating the cell flow rate. The biosensor was utilised to detect the concentration of three distinct sizes of bacteria with successful results. The assay was executed as a proof of concept to detect two distinct types of breast cancer cells. Based on the experimental findings, it has been observed that the amplitude and blueshift of the resonance absorption peaks have the ability to identify and differentiate various cancer cell types. The findings of this study introduce a novel approach for developing microfluidic THz metasurface biosensors that possess exceptional levels of integration, sensitivity, and rapid label-free detection capabilities.

Noncollinear electro-optic detection of terahertz waves: Advantages and limitations

Electro-optic sampling of terahertz waves by noncollinearly propagating femtosecond laser pulses in electro-optic crystals can provide high efficiency and high spectral resolution of terahertz detection with various types of crystals and laser wavelengths, unlike the conventional collinear scheme. We develop an analytical theory of noncollinear electro-optic sampling detection technique that describes the modulation of the probe laser beam polarization as a result of nonlinear interaction between the optical and terahertz fields. The theory accounts for finite widths of the terahertz and probe beams. It is found that noncollinear scheme operates as a low-pass terahertz filter with the frequency cut-off determined by the width of the probe beam and the crossing angle of the terahertz and probe beams. We apply the theory to two practical situations: sampling of terahertz waves by fiber laser pulses (1.55 μm wavelength) in a GaAs crystal and sampling by Ti:sapphire laser pulses (800 nm wavelength) in a LiNbO3 crystal.

Effect of VO2/Graphene Heterojunction on Terahertz Wave Electromagnetic Absorption

In the past two decades, metamaterial design has been applied to terahertz wave detection research, which is very important because metamaterial has the advantages of high absorption, ultra-thin device thickness, design flexibility and frequency selectivity. In this paper, the VO2/Graphene heterostructures were designed on the silicon dioxide layer, and the terahertz wave absorption bandwidth was tuned by adjusting the size and conductivity of VO2 and the Fermi level of graphene. According to the simulation results, the VO2/Graphene heterostructures has a substantial absorption bandwidth of more than 7 THz and an absorption peak intensity that is continuously tuned between 2.8% and 98% by adjusting temperature change the conductivity of VO2. Meanwhile, the heterojunctions also have high absorption ability for terahertz waves incident at different polarization angles. The new idea is provided by our research results for the design of heterojunction terahertz absorption devices.

Thin-film lithium niobate electro-optic terahertz wave detector

The design, fabrication, and validation of a thin-film lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) electro-optic (EO) time-domain terahertz (THz) wave detector is reported. LNOI offers unprecedented properties for the EO detection of freely propagating THz wave radiation pulses and transient electric fields because of the large EO coefficient of the material, engineering of the velocity matching of the THz wave and optical wave, and much reduced detector size. The proof-of-concept device is realized using thin-film lithium niobate optical waveguides forming a Mach–Zehnder interferometer with interferometer arms electrically poled in opposite directions. THz waves are coupled effectively to the fully dielectric device from free space without using antennas or plasmonics. The detection of THz waves with frequencies up to 800 GHz is successfully demonstrated. The detector allows for the detection of THz frequency electric fields up to 4.6 MV/m. The observed frequency response of the device agrees well with theoretical predictions.

Terahertz-induced second harmonic radiation from transient electron behavior in water

Laser-induced liquid plasma is expected to be an efficient medium for a new generation of terahertz (THz) devices. However, the mechanism of interaction between liquid plasma and THz waves is currently unclear. Here, we observed two phenomena related to THz wave interaction with water plasma: THz-induced second harmonic (TISH) radiation in water plasma and THz absorption by water plasma. We established an internal relationship between these two macroscopic phenomena by utilizing a photocurrent model and the Drude model. Using liquid water and air as examples, a scheme is proposed to analyze the photonic characteristics of plasma in different physical states. This study offers an experimental basis for predicting the TISH phenomenon across various substances and states and also provides the theoretical support for the practical implementation of liquid-based detection of THz waves.

Switchable ultra-broadband absorption and polarization conversion terahertz metasurface

Metasurfaces can realize flexible modulation of electromagnetic waves at the wavelength level. However, the reported functions of metasurface are usually fixed and cannot be changed, once its structural design is completed. The designed metasurface cannot meet the requirements for flexible regulation of terahertz waves. We find that the phase change material of vanadium dioxide can achieve a transition from insulating state to metallic state through thermal, electrical, or light excitation, and the phase transition of this material is reversible. Therefore, using vanadium dioxide to form a composite metasurface can achieve dynamic modulation of terahertz waves. In this study, we propose a terahertz metasurface with switchable broadband absorption and polarization conversion. The proposed metasurface is composed of a 9-layer structure stacked from bottom to top with a combination pattern of different dielectric layers. By adjusting the conductivity of vanadium dioxide, the designed metasurface can achieve flexible switching between terahertz wave absorption function and polarization conversion function. When the vanadium dioxide is in the metal state, the designed metasurface behaves as a broadband absorber with an absorption rate of more than 90% in a range of 6.32–18.06 THz and a relative bandwidth of 96.3%. When the vanadium dioxide is in the insulated state, the designed structure acts as a polarization converter in a frequency range of 2.41–3.42 THz, 4.78–7.48 THz, and 9.53–9.73 THz, respectively, with a polarization conversion rate of over 90%. We believe that this metasurface structure will have good applications in the fields of terahertz wave detection, terahertz switches, terahertz filtering, terahertz communication, and terahertz sensing.

Terahertz polarization detection based on the mode analysis of longitudinally polarized vortices

Polarization detection of terahertz waves is essential for applications of terahertz waves in communication, imaging, and other fields. Here, we propose a novel terahertz polarization detection approach via the mode analysis of transmitted longitudinally polarized vortex field. By finely designing the phase profiles of the proposed all-silicon metasurface, we establish a connection between the generated longitudinally polarized vortices and the polarization parameters of the incident field. Complete polarization parameters are obtained by analyzing the intensity, phase, and mode purity of the longitudinally polarized vortex field. The comparisons between the detected polarization states and the incident states prove the accuracy of the proposed metasurface for polarization detection. Such metasurface polarization detection scheme may further promote the application of terahertz technology.

Highly sensitive frequency upconversion detection from 1 to 3 THz with OH1 crystal.

The wide applications of terahertz (THz) wave technology in the ∼1-3 THz range has resulted in a surge in the demand for the performance improvement of THz wave detection technique. In this study, a frequency tunable, highly sensitive frequency upconversion detection based on a 2-(3-(4-hydroxystyryl)-5,5-dime-thylcyclohex-2-enylidene) malononitrile (OH1) crystal at room temperature is demonstrated. Moreover, to effectively increase the signal-to-noise ratio in the low frequency range, a beam isolation enhancer is proposed and its effect is verified. The minimum detectable THz pulse energy reaches about 100 aJ at 1.9 THz. The frequency tuning ranging from 1 to 3 THz. Sensitivity comparison with a 4-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium tosylate (DAST) crystal system shows that OH1 is a more suitable nonlinear crystal in the 1-2.4 THz range.

Ultra-sensitive terahertz introduced harmonic emission towards terahertz detection

The sixth-generation (6G) technology has garnered significant interest from researchers due to its improved spectral and energy efficiency. However, a major challenge lies in the strong attenuation of terahertz waves in the air, necessitating the development of ultra-sensitive detectors. In recent years, there has been gradual progress in the development of harmonic signal detection methods, offering a new solution for terahertz wave detection with a low detection threshold and high sensitivity. In our study, we proposed a highly sensitive detection approach involving a 1040 nm femtosecond laser and broadband terahertz waves incident on SnSe2 nanosheets with a few layers, obtained through mechanical exfoliation. Utilizing confocal microscopy, the distinct harmonic wave can be observed, with the intensity of the harmonic signal varying based on the polarization angle difference between the laser and terahertz waves. Our estimation suggests that this detection sensitivity could be around ten times higher than that of existing detectors. This approach, which involves THz-induced harmonic generation without the need for high voltage or intense THz/laser exposure, holds immense potential for weak signal detection applications and carries significant importance for the advancement of 6G technology.

Polarization Detection of Terahertz Waves using All‐Silicon Metasurfaces with Tightly Focusing Behavior

AbstractThe manipulation of polarization states is reflected in the tailoring of light–matter interactions and has great applications in fundamental science. Nevertheless, the conventional polarization‐separated detection behavior in the terahertz (THz) band is very challenging when applied to visualize the incident polarization state since its measurement requires sophisticated instrumentation. Here, the feasibility of its reconstruction of the full‐Stokes parameter matrix in the THz band is explored by establishing an all‐silicon decoupled metasurface based on the polarization multiplexing encoding technique. The pixelated focal spots gathered in the target plane allow us to employ more elaborate methods to extract the characteristic parameters of the incident polarization states. The resolvability of the THz polarization detection behavior with a single focal spot is further optimized benefiting from the longitudinal polarization component (Ez) generated by the tightly focused beam in the propagation direction. The capability of the Ez‐component in determining the key parameters that compose the polarization ellipse is evaluated by predefining the random incident polarization on a standard Poincaré sphere. Thus, the proposed scheme offers significant advantages in future THz communications, providing opportunities for ultra‐compact, high‐resolution full‐Stokes polarization imaging and multidimensional information processing.

Recent Advances in THz Detection of Water.

The frequency range of terahertz waves (THz waves) is between 0.1 and 10 THz and they have properties such as low energy, penetration, transients, and spectral fingerprints, which are especially sensitive to water. Terahertz, as a frontier technology, have great potential in interpreting the structure of water molecules and detecting biological water conditions, and the use of terahertz technology for water detection is currently frontier research, which is of great significance. Firstly, this paper introduces the theory of terahertz technology and summarizes the current terahertz systems used for water detection. Secondly, an overview of theoretical approaches, such as the relaxation model and effective medium theory related to water detection, the relationship between water molecular networks and terahertz spectra, and the research progress of the terahertz detection of water content and water distribution visualization, are elaborated. Finally, the challenge and outlook of applications related to the terahertz wave detection of water are discussed. The purpose of this paper is to explore the research domains on water and its related applications using terahertz technology, as well as provide a reference for innovative applications of terahertz technology in moisture detection.

THz Wave Defect Detection Technology Based on Attention Autoencoder and Semisupervised Ladder Network

Insulation equipment plays an important role in mechanical support and electrical insulation in the power grid. When there are defects in the insulation equipment, the safe operation of the power grid will be seriously threatened. NDT is an important means to timely find hidden dangers. In view of the low reliability of defect recognition in the case of insufficient sample marks, based on autoencoder feature extraction and semi supervised network, combined with terahertz wave detection device, this paper studies the nondestructive detection method of insulator internal defects. First, the spectrum signal of terahertz wave is obtained by continuous wavelet transform. Then, for terahertz time-domain and frequency-domain data, autoencoders incorporating soft attention mechanism and channel-spatial attention mechanism are used to automatically extract features, and time-frequency domain cognition is spliced to form fusion features. Finally, a semi supervised ladder network classification model is constructed to train the algorithm efficiently and classify reliably when it is difficult to obtain labels of defective samples. Compared with other networks oriented to 1D and 2D data that are trained in the common supervised way, the method in this paper has a better performance in classification accuracy and recall rate, which is helpful to improve the detection effect of internal defects of insulation equipment based on terahertz wave.

Resolving sub-cycle signatures: A perspective on hallmarks of terahertz metrology

Frequency up-conversion has become amongst the most prevalent techniques for detection of terahertz waves in metrology systems. State-of-the-art up-conversion techniques rely on the coherent transferring of the information encoded in all degrees of freedom of a terahertz wave to either the near-infrared or visible domain, where detectors are readily accessible. This allows for an indirect reconstruction of the terahertz wave. However, unlike most up-conversion methods employed in photonics which are concentrating on narrowband tones (at both terahertz and near-infrared frequencies), a broadband, hence temporally constrained, terahertz transient is sampled on time-scales shorter than its oscillation period. Here, femtosecond laser pules serve as temporal gates. In this perspective, we highlight several hallmarks of terahertz metrology that originate from these sub-cycle measurement capabilities and elaborate why this enables studies in fundamental and applied science, with a particular focus on novel measurement concepts in classical and quantum. We focus on so-far demonstrated detection performance in bulk non-linear crystals. Finally, we discuss current challenges and the most pressing questions ahead.

Theoretical exploration of sensitive terahertz detection by cascaded difference-frequency generation

Nonlinear optical frequency conversion technologies, including the optical parametric process and difference-frequency and sum-frequency processes, have demonstrated good performance for terahertz (THz) wave detection. The quantum efficiencies of the above technologies cannot break through the Manley–Rowe limit. In this work, we present a novel scheme for THz wave detection based on cascaded difference-frequency generation in combination with optical parametric oscillations. By superimposing a weak THz wave and an intense pump wave in an aperiodic periodically poled lithium niobate crystal, a series of Stokes waves and a series of anti-Stokes waves are generated. The Stokes waves oscillating in a resonant cavity are transferred to high-order Stokes waves continuously and repeatedly. The high-sensitivity THz wave detector is realized by measuring the intensities of the Stokes waves or the enlarged THz wave. This research enables a comprehensive understanding of the physics of the cascading second-order nonlinear detection and provides a worthy reference for subsequent experimental design.

Polarization‐Multiplexing Bessel Vortex Beams for Polarization Detection of Continuous Terahertz Waves

AbstractDetermination of polarization states of electromagnetic waves plays a crucial role in photonic applications. However, it is very challenging to determine the polarization state of continuous terahertz (THz) waves. Here, a metasurface‐like metallic waveguide array (MWA) is proposed to address this by measuring both the phase difference and amplitude ratio of its two orthogonal components based on generation and interference of polarization‐multiplexing vortex beams. When a full‐polarized THz wave passes through the MWA, its two orthogonal components will be converted into +1st‐ and −1st‐order Bessel vortex beams, respectively. Their projection components in a proper polarized direction can interfere with each other, and their initial phase difference can be measured in real‐time owing to its linear relationship with the azimuth of the dark fringe in interference patterns. The two Bessel beams can be further collected separately using a linear polarizer to obtain their amplitude ratio. Therefore, the polarization state of incident waves can be determined with both the phase difference and amplitude ratio. The proposed method enables a convenient polarization determination of continuous THz waves and has great potential for developing polarization‐dependent investigations and applications in THz detection, communication, and sensing.

Electrically addressable integrated intelligent terahertz metasurface.

Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) play an essential role in various applications, such as next-generation communication, uncrewed vehicles, and vital sign recognizers. However, in the terahertz (THz) region, the development of RISs is limited because of lacking tunable phase shifters and low-cost sensors. Here, we developed an integrated self-adaptive metasurface (SAM) with THz wave detection and modulation capabilities based on the phase change material. By applying various coding sequences, the metasurface could deflect THz beams over an angle range of 42.8°. We established a software-defined sensing reaction system for intelligent THz wave manipulation. In the system, the SAM self-adaptively adjusted the THz beam deflection angle and stabilized the reflected power in response to the detected signal without human intervention, showing vast potential in eliminating coverage dead zones and other applications in THz communication. Our programmable controlled SAM creates a platform for intelligent electromagnetic information processing in the THz regime.

Highly sensitive detection of broadband terahertz waves using aqueous salt solutions.

Water-based coherent detection of broadband terahertz (THz) wave has been recently proposed with superior performances, which can alleviate the limited detection bandwidth and high probe laser energy requirement in the solid- and air-based detection schemes, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that the water-based detection method can be extended to the aqueous salt solutions and the sensitivity can be significantly enhanced. The THz coherent detection signal intensity scales linearly with the third-order nonlinear susceptibility χ(3) or quadratically with the linear refractive index η0 of the aqueous salt solutions, while the incoherent detection signal intensity scales quadratically with χ(3) or quartically with η0, proving the underlying mechanism is the four-wave mixing. Both the coherent and incoherent detection signal intensities appear positive correlation with the solution concentration. These results imply that the liquid-based THz detection scheme could provide a new technique to measure χ(3) and further investigate the physicochemical properties in the THz band for various liquids.

Reasearch on scattering characteristics of THz waves from a parabolic plasma-coated 2D metallic cylinder

Terahertz wave detection technology is regarded as an important research direction for solving plasma stealth. In this paper, we mainly study the penetration ability of terahertz waves into the plasma to apply terahertz waves in anti-stealth technology. We are going to build a two-dimensional metallic cylinder of unmagnetized plasma coverage, using Runge–Kutta Exponential Time Differencing-Finite Difference Time Domain method to calculate radar scattering cross-section. The effect of the plasma thickness, collision frequency and other parameters on the scattering characteristics is discussed, the numerical results indicate that terahertz wave has a strong penetration ability for plasma, which can be used to improve radar detection technology to deal with plasma stealth technology.

Microdisk array based Weyl semimetal nanofilm terahertz detector

Abstract High-performance terahertz wave detectors at room temperature are still urgently required for a wide range of applications. The available technologies, however, are plagued by low sensitivity, narrow spectral bandwidth, complicated structure, and high noise equivalent power (NEP). Here, we have demonstrated a Weyl semimetal surface plasmon-enhanced high-performance terahertz wave detectors which are based on microdisk array deposited WTe2 nanofilm epitaxially grown on GaN substrate for room temperature operation. With the microdisk array combined the WTe2 layer, strong terahertz wave surface plasmon polaritons can be generated at the WTe2–air interfaces, which results in significant improvement in detecting performance. For the 40 μm diameter microdisk array, a detectivity (D *) of 5.52 × 1012 cm Hz1/2 pW−1 at 0.1 THz is achieved at room temperature. In addition, the responsivity (R A) of 8.78 A W−1 is also obtained. Such high-performance millimeter and terahertz wave photodetectors are useful for wide applications such as high capacity communications, walk-through security, biological diagnosis, spectroscopy, and remote sensing.