SapienzaTerahertz: THz spectroscopic image system for basic and applied sciences

The Sapienza Terahertz laboratory is devoted to R&D on spectroscopic and imaging at THz frequencies. The laboratory is equipped with a state-of-art compact Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) source with a close-loop cooling system. Emission range is (1-5)THz with mW power level. The emission lines are particularly narrow and tunable allowing for high resolution spectroscopy. Different detection systems can be used to perform a 2D+1 image: a state-of-art room temperature 2D bolometer camera that allows “real-time” diffraction limited and w high sensitivity measurement (NEP of about 10 pW/sqrt(Hz) and a sensor composed by ~ 380x280 pixels) and standard pyroelectric sensors in a raster-scan configuration.

The laboratory host also a CW coherent detection spectrometer working in the range (0.05-3)THz with resolution down to 10MHz. This system adopts state-or-art fiber-coupled distributed-feedback-laser as highly wavelength-tunable infrared coherent sources. This radiation is then traduced into THz by photo-antennas technology.