T-RAYS

ABSTRACT T-rays can sense molecules such as those present in cancerous tumours and living DNA, since every molecule has its unique signature in the THz range. They can also be used to detect explosives or drugs, for gas pollution monitoring or non-destructive testing of semiconductor integrated circuit chips. T-rays are electromagnetic waves in the far infrared part of the spectrum that have a wavelength hundreds of times longer than visible light. With their ability to penetrate fabrics and plastics, T-rays are already used in full-body security scanners at many airports to detect weapons, drugs and explosives. The optoelectronic methods work well enough, but they are of limited brightness and are still quite cumbersome. The terahertz wants to replace these technologies with a bright, completely solid-state terahertz laser. Its their best hope of getting imagers smaller, lighter, and cheap enough to mass-produce, not only because the light source is smaller but also because its higher brightness would allow for less expensive and more compact detector arrays. The wavelength of semiconductor lasers is largely determined by the materials that are used to make them, and none naturally produce T-rays. T-ray technology will probably find its first big uses in security-related applications, now an enormously fast-growing business because of recent high-profile terrorist attacks. Not only that but they can tell what those objects are made of. Many explosives, including all the plastic explosives popular with terrorist groups, reflect and transmit a characteristic combination of terahertz waves that make them distinguishable from other materials, even those that might seem identical to the eye and hand.

PRESENTED BY: L.KIRANMAYEE (08C71A1018).