We present THz time-domain spectroscopy and imaging covering a wide frequency range up to 20 THz. Our approach uses highly efficient organic nonlinear optical crystals (DSTMS, OH1) and a compact femtosecond pump laser (1560 nm) with MHz repetition rate and ultrashort pulse width (<40 fs). By optimizing the optical geometry, we achieve high SNR (>80 dB at 4 THz, >70 dB at 10 THz). Our theoretical model agrees well with experiments. We validate our system by obtaining high-resolution THz spectra of water vapor and various solid substances. Additionally, we present THz imaging with sub-50 μm spatial and sub-10 fs temporal resolution.
We demonstrate real-time and ultrabroadband THz time-domain spectroscopy in a compact optimized system. The system is based on a femtosecond fiber laser at 1560 nm as pump source and optical rectification and detection in organic electro-optic DSTMS crystals. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy with a spectrum extending beyond 20 THz with a maximum bandwidth 70 dB has been reached with this system. We present spectroscopic measurements of various biomedical and pharmaceutical substances in transmission and reflection geometry at frequencies up to 20 THz.
Several pharmaceutical drugs, such as alprazolam, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, activated carbon and others, and caffeine-containing foods were tested using terahertz (THz) time domain spectroscopy in the range from 0.3 to 2 THz. The dry powder of pharmaceutical drugs was mixed with HDPE and pressed into the pellets using hydraulic press. The coffee grounds were also pressed into the pellets after ball-milling and mixing with HDPE. The caffeine containing liquid foods were dried out on the paper strips of various stacking. Experiments allow one to determine characteristic spectral signatures of the investigated substances within THz range caused by active pharmaceutical ingredients, like in the case of caffeine, as well as supporting pharmaceutical ingredients. Spectroscopic THz imaging approach is considered as a possible option to identify packaged pharmaceutical drugs. The caffeine spectral features in the tested caffeine containing foods are difficult to observed due to the low caffeine concentration and complex caffeine chemical surrounding.
We present results on the comparison of different THz technologies for the detection and identification of a variety of
explosives from our laboratory tests that were carried out in the framework of NATO SET-193 “THz technology for
stand-off detection of explosives: from laboratory spectroscopy to detection in the field” under the same controlled
conditions. Several laser-pumped pulsed broadband THz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) systems as well as one
electronic frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) device recorded THz spectra in transmission and/or
reflection.
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