Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy have announced a breakthrough in remote sensing using terahertz wave technology, electromagnetic waves on the spectrum between infrared and microwaves. The breakthrough could identify such things as hidden explosives, chemical or biological agents or illegal drugs at a distance.
“The potential of terahertz wave remote sensing has been recognized for years, but prctical application has been blocked by the face that ambient moisture interferes with wave transmission,” said Xi-Cheng Zhang, director of the Center for Terahertz Research at RPI.
Using two laser beams to create a plasma that interacts with the terahertz wave apparently overcomes that problem, and the result is information about the targeted material that can be read by a detector and identified. That’s because each substance has its own unique “fingerprint.”
The findings will be published next week in the journal Nature Photonics, in an article entitled, “Broadband terahertz wave remote sensing using coherent manipulation of fluorescence from asymmetrically ionized gases.”
The technology still must be further developed. Zhang said it would likely bve available for industrial and defense-related use within a few years.