In the realm of the electromagnetic spectrum, terahertz radiation is a relatively unexplored area of technology but it holds promises of myriad imaging applications as well as the potential for use in wireless communication networks with high bandwidth. The problem in the past has been that off-the-shelf components are not readily available for manipulating terahertz waves.
Recently, researchers at Brown University have developed a new lens that will focus terahertz radiation. This radiation spans 100 to 10,000 GHz. The lens for use in terahertz radiation devices are made from stacked metal plates that have spaces between them; this device has been shown to perform better than terahertz lenses that are currently on the market. The researchers noted that “any photonic system that uses terahertz, whether imaging, wireless communications or others, require lenses.”
Most lenses on the market utilize refractive properties of a material to focus light energy. For example, eyeglasses use convex glass to bend visible light and focus it on a particular spot. The newly designed terahertz lens means that the properties of the material used don’t matter as much as the way in which the materials are arranged do.
The device the researchers from Brown invented is made up of “32 metal plates, each 100 microns thick, with a 1-millimeter space between each plate.” The plates have notches along one edge and when the plates are stacked, they form a three-dimensional divot on one side of the plate. The terahertz beam will enter the input side of the device, the beam slices will travel through the spaces between the places and the output side of the plates bend the beam to varying, pre-programmed degrees to focus on the object.
The technology can be further developed to make a polarizing beam splitter for use in manipulating terahertz waves.
Universe Kogaku designs and manufactures optical lenses for industrial, medical, high tech and electronic applications. Standard and custom lens assemblies for scanners, CCTV, CCD/CMOS, medical imaging, surveillance systems, machine vision and night vision systems are also available from UKA.