Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will mark the expansion of its terahertz research facilities with a gathering of pioneers and other experts in the field, for a discussion of the history and promise of this emerging technology.
The terahertz (THz) frequency range — or "T-rays" — presents the next frontier in imaging science and technology. Researchers at Rensselaer have used advanced Thz technology to uncover small defects in the foam used for space shuttle insulation.
Terahertz waves also offer enormous potential to find answers to problems as varied as asbestos or radiation contamination, or to search for landmines, plastic explosives, or weapons. There are also potential applications in medical imaging, agriculture, forensic science, and food safety.
President Shirley Ann Jackson, Dean of Science Joseph Flaherty, Physics Chair Gwo-Ching Wang, Professor Xi-Cheng Zhang, and honored guests joined the Rensselaer community in dedicating the new W. M. Keck Laboratory for Terahertz Science in the Center for Terahertz Research at Rensselaer Dec. 5.
Zhang, along with two other distinguished pioneers in terahertz research ¿ Daniel Grischkowsky, Oklahoma State University; and Yuen-Ron Shen, the University of California at Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ¿ participated in the "Conversation on Terahertz Research," moderated by President Jackson.
The new Keck Laboratory, on the ninth floor of the Low Center, will expand Rensselaer's pioneering work in the development of terahertz (THz) science and technology. With the support of a W. M. Keck Foundation grant, the new world-class lab will be equipped with advanced instrumentation including a three-phase terawatt system, which uses an amplified laser pulse to produce a high-powered terahertz wave. The lab also is outfitted with an infrared spectrometer, optical tables, and a vacuum deposition system.
Rensselaer was recently awarded a $3.86 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to fund 15 fellowships to enhance interdisciplinary graduate study in terahertz (THz) science and technology as it relates to imaging, data transfer, and networking systems and electronics.
The fellowships, managed by Rensselaer's Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, will allow students to study with eminent faculty members in physics, electrical engineering, biology, and biomedical engineering. Students will be exposed to advanced research facilities at Rensselaer such as the Center for Terahertz Research, where Rensselaer researchers have played a leading role in the effort to understand the science and the application of T-rays.
