THz光谱技术在炸药及其相关材料检测中的应用进展

太赫兹（THz）光谱技术近年来在航空航天、生命科学、安全检测等领域的应用进展迅速.由于许多炸药及其相关材料在THz波段具有特征吸收，许多非金属、非极性材料对THz波是透明的。且THz波具有低能性，THz光谱技术在安检中具有巨大的应用潜力．文章介绍了国际上THz光谱技术在炸药及其相关材料研究中的现状和进展及文章作者在炸药及其相关材料THz光谱研究方面的成果，讨论了THz技术应用于安全检测领域面临的挑战.     

利用空气来探测脉冲太赫兹波

曾有报道利用飞秒激光脉冲通过空气中的三阶光学非线性过程产生高强度的太赫兹波．理论上，作为太赫兹波产生的逆过程，有可能实现用空气作为介质探测脉冲太赫兹波．作者以空气或激光诱导的空气等离子体作为介质，通过测量太赫兹波场诱导产生的二次谐波信号，首次实现了宽带太赫兹波的时间分辨探测，本文介绍了空气中太赫兹波的非相干和相干探测的实验结果和理论分析．迄今为止，这种具有突破意义的太赫兹波空气电离相干探测法（THz-ABCD）的频谱宽度可以超过8THz，实现动态范围可达30dB。     

组氨酸和精氨酸的太赫兹光谱研究

采用太赫兹时域光谱(THz-TDS)测试和理论模拟相结合的方法，研究了组氨酸和精氨酸在THz波段的光谱特性.THz-TDS测试的有效光谱范围为0.2—2.8 THz，在该波段得到样品的特征吸收峰分别位于0.88，1.64，2.23 THz(组氨酸)和0.99，1.47，2.60 THz(精氨酸)；运用Gaussian03半经验理论PM3和AM1算法，计算了两种分子在0.1—10.0 THz波段的振动吸收谱，结果表明它们在该波段均具有多个特征吸收，其中在0.2—2.8 THz波段的吸收峰位与实验吸收峰位相互对应并且符合较好；给出了与光谱特征吸收对应的分子振转模型，为认识分子对THz波的响应机制提供了帮助，也为分子鉴别及更宽有效光谱区的实验测试研究提供了科学依据. 关键词： 太赫兹(THz) 半经验理论 THz时域光谱 氨基酸     

Precisely optical material parameter determination by time domain waveform rebuilding with THz time-domain spectroscopy

We offer an innovative optical material parameter extraction algorithm for Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Unlike previously reported extraction algorithms in frequency domain, which have to be compromised between amplitude and phase, or the real part and imaginary part of the transfer function, we calculate material parameters by minimizing the difference between the measured sample waveform and the rebuilt one in time domain. The new method is effectively verified by different samples, and can be used either in transmission mode or in reflection mode for THz-TDS.     

Ambient temperature or moderately cooled semiconductor hot electron bolometer for mm and sub-mm regions

A model of semiconductor hot electron bolometer (SHEB), in which electromagnetic radiation heats only electrons in narrow-gap semiconductor without its lattice slow-response heating, is considered. Free carrier heating changes the generation-recombination processes that are the reason of semiconductor resistance rise. It is estimated, that Hg_0.8Cd_0.2Te detector noise equivalent power (NEP) for mm and sub-mm radiation wavelength range can reach NEP ∼10⁻¹¹ W at Δf = 1 Hz signal gain frequency bandwidth. Measurements performed at electromagnetic wave frequencies v = 36, 39, 55, 75 GHz, and at 0.89 and 1.58 THz too, with non-optimized Hg_0.8Cd_0.2Te antenna-coupled bolometer prototype confirmed the basic concept of SHEB. The experimental sensitivity S_v ∼2 V/W at T = 300 K and the calculated both Johnson-Nyquist and generation-recombination noise values gave estimation of SHEB NEP ∼3.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ W at the band-width Δf = 1 Hz and v = 36 GHz.     

Study of the optical gap in novel superconductors by coherent THz radiation

We show how coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR) allows one to measure the slight increase in the reflectivity of a BCS superconductor as it is cooled below T_c. In fact, by CSR coupled to a conventional interferometric apparatus, one can obtain a signal-to-noise ratio 10³ in the sub-THz range. We apply this technique to the measurement of the optical gap in boron-doped diamond and in CaAlSi, a superconductor isostructural to MgB₂. In the latter compound we are also able to determine a slight anisotropy between the gap in the hexagonal planes and that along the orthogonal c axis.     

Development of 394.6 GHz CW Gyrotron (Gyrotron FU CW II) for DNP/Proton-NMR at 600 MHz

Gyrotron FU CW II with an 8 T liquid He free superconducting magnet, the second gyrotron of the THz Gyrotron FU CW Series, has been constructed and the operation test was successfully carried out. It will be used for enhancing the sensitivity of 600 MHz proton-NMR by use of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP). The designed operation mode of the gyrotron is TE_2,6 at the second harmonic. The corresponding frequency is 394.6 GHz. The real operation frequency is 394.3 GHz at TE₀₆ mode, because of fabrication error of the diameter of the cavity. The operation is in complete CW at the output power of around 30 W or higher at the TE₀₆ cavity mode. There are many other operation modes at the fundamental and the second harmonic. Typical output power of the fundamental and the second harmonic are higher than 100 W and 20 W, respectively. The highest frequency observed up to the present is 443.5 GHz at the second harmonic operation of TE_6,5 mode. The measured results are compared with the theoretical consideration.     

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for explosive imaging

Terahertz (THz) imaging which is a new technology for material classification and nondestructive detection has been extensively investigated in the past decade. The time-domain waveform acquired at each point of the object by using the THz time-domain spectroscopy contains much information about the object. Processing this waveform will present the characters of the object. Several methods are adopted to generate the image of the explosive samples and results are compared and discussed. Experiment results indicate that this new imaging technology can be used for explosive detection.     

GaSe：AgGaSe_2晶体的光学性能及应用（英文）

从GaSe∶AgGaSe₂熔体(质量掺杂浓度为10%)中生长的非线性光学晶体ε-GaSe∶Ag晶体(质量掺杂浓度≤0.04%)是一种非中心对称晶体,可用于相位匹配频率转换。Ag的掺入使GaSe晶体的显微硬度提高了30%,从而使其可以在任意方向上进行切割和抛光。本文研究了GaSe∶AgGaSe₂晶体在可见、中红外及太赫兹波段的光学性能。实验证明:GaSe∶AgGaSe₂晶体的吸收系数是纯GaSe晶体的2倍,其CO₂激光倍频效率是ZnGeP₂晶体的1.7倍。     

Generation of THz Radiation from Laser Beam Filamentation in a Magnetized Plasma

The terahertz (THz) frequency radiation production as a result of nonlinear interaction of high intense laser beam with low density ripple in a magnetized plasma has been studied. If the appropriate phase matching conditions are satisfied and the frequency of the ripple is appropriate then this difference frequency can be brought in the THz range. Self focusing (filamentation) of a circularly polarized beam propagating along the direction of static magnetic field in plasma is first investigated within extended‐paraxial ray approximation. The beam gets focused when the initial power of the laser beam is greater than its critical power. Resulting localized beam couples with the pre‐existing density ripple to produce a nonlinear current driving the THz radiation. By changing the strength of the magnetic field, one can enhance or suppress the THz emission. The expressions for the laser beam width parameter, the electric field vector of the THz wave have been obtained. For typical laser beam and plasma parameters with the incident laser intensity ≈ 10¹⁴ W/cm², laser beam radius (r₀) = 50 μm, laser frequency (ω₀) = 1.8848 × 10¹⁴rad/s, electron plasma (low density rippled) wave frequency (ω₀) = 1.2848 × 10¹⁴ rad/s, plasma density (n₀) = 5.025 × 10¹⁷cm^–3, normalized ripple density amplitude (μ)=0.1, the produced THz emission can be at the level of Giga watt (GW) in power (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)