UC Case 2019-337
SUMMARY
UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed a novel method for real-time detection and characterization of pulsed THz waveforms that features differential detection of high sensitivity, and phase diversity to overcome the dispersion penalty for wideband operation.
BACKGROUND
Terahertz waves, electromagnetic waves with terahertz (1012 Hz) frequency and submillimeter wavelengths, have gained a variety of applications such as imaging, security, communication and manufacturing. The accurate measurement of Terahertz signals has been challenging due to extremely high bandwidth requirements. Time-stretch enhanced recording (TiSER) oscilloscope excels among the available detection techniques with its high bandwidth and real-time capability, and has therefore been used to analyze terahertz radiation, for instance in particle accelerators. To further broaden the bandwidth of time-stretch based instrumentation systems such as TiSER, effective mitigation of the frequency-fading effect due to dispersion is needed.
INNOVATION
UCLA researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have developed a novel method for real-time detection and characterization of pulsed THz waveforms. The instrumentation system is capable of detecting THz waves with high sensitivity by differential detection and, simultaneously, overcoming the dispersion penalty effect by phase diversity, to achieve wideband operation.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
- Medical imaging
- Integrated circuits
- Particle Accelerator measurements
- Manufacturing quality control
- Wireless and radio communication
- Security surveillance
ADVANTAGES
- Increased sensitivity
- Mitigated dispersion penalty
- Improved operation bandwidth