Widely Frequency-Tunable Terahertz Wave Generation and Spectroscopic Application

The THz-wave generator based on the resonance of phonon-polaritons in GaP enabled THz spectral measurements of organic molecules like DNA/RNA-related molecules in wide frequency range (0.6–5.8 THz). High spectral purity of the generated THz-wave enables even the detection of defect structures of organic compounds, and will give a new tool for molecular sciences. We demonstrated THz imaging of a liver cancer. The THz-wave generator can be made small-size, light-weight system.