The First Commercially Viable THz Source
1. Sufficient Power (10’s mW) to provide
a. Spectroscopy from a safe standoff distance
b. Real time video rate imaging from a distance
c. Significant penetration depths
2. Compact (<3 lbs, < 5 inches3)
3. Broad, continuously tunable frequency range
Applications mentioned have not been exploited commercially -they have only been demonstrated in laboratory environments. This has become known as the THz gap. But Why does this gap exist? Because there are no potential commercially viable sources in existence except the Teraphysics devices we present here. What is a commercially viable source? A source that can meet the requirements for the applications we outlined, or a source providing 10s of mW’s of average power that is compact, and continuously tunable over a broad range of frequencies.
Survey of Existing THz Sources
Existing THz sources are used primarily for research purposes due to such factors as maturity, cost, size, efficiency and low output power at room temperature. Thus, none of these competing sources have the potential to be commercially viable except the Teraphysics’ suite of sources.
|
Source |
Average Output Power (mW) |
Size/Mass (inches3/lbs) |
Why It’s Not Commercially Viable |
|
Teraphysics’ Devices |
26-325 |
< 5/ <2.5 |
Commercially Viable |
|
Conventional BWOs |
< 30 |
~36/ 75 |
Large/Heavy/ Unreliable |
|
Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCLs) |
1-250 |
~60 /75 |
Large/Cryo-Cooling Required |
|
Ultra-Short Pulse Laser (Photoconductive Emission) |
0.000001 |
~60/75 |
Large/Heavy/Low Power |
|
IR-Pumped Gas Lasers |
1-150 |
~60/75 |
Large/Heavy/Not Continuously Tunable |
|
Photomixing |
0.001 |
~48/50 |
Large/Heavy/Low Power |
|
Frequency Multipliers |
~1 |
~15/20 |
Low Power |
Intellectual Property
It is impossible to apply conventional fabrication techniques and designs that work at microwave frequencies to THz devices where the dimensions are on the order of 10 times smaller. Thus, to enable fabrication of vacuum electronics in the THz regime, we have invented novel components to be compatible with microfabrication. In many cases, we invented the microfabrication methods including techniques to form intricately shaped Chemical vapor deposited, or CVD, diamond structures.
- We have miniaturized vacuum electronics by applying Teraphysics’ patent protected intellectual property in
- Redesign of conventional circuits for microfabrication
- Microfabrication methods
- Fabricating intricately shaped CVD diamond structures
- Teraphysics’ Relevant Patent Protected Intellectual Property
- US Patent #7,071,604, July 4, 2006
- US Patent #7,193,485, March 20, 2007
- US Patent #7,037,370, May 2, 2006
- US Patent #6,917,162, July 4, 2006
- US Patent #7,679,462, March 16, 2010
- US Patent Application #2008/0272698, February 21, 2007
- US Patent Application #2010/0045160, August 20, 2008
Our Technology