Compact and Portable Terahertz Source by Mixing Two Frequencies Generated Simultaneously by Single Solid-State Laser (080110-01)-Lehigh University Office of Technology Transfer

Compact and Portable Terahertz Source by Mixing Two Frequencies Generated Simultaneously by Single Solid-State Laser (080110-01)-Lehigh University Office of Technology Transfer

Terahertz scanner could see skin cancer

Terahertz scanner could see skin cancer

Cornell imagines terahertz waves on handheld devices - Law enforcement could be interested | TechEye

Cornell imagines terahertz waves on handheld devices - Law enforcement could be interested | TechEye

Tuesday, 10 July 2012 12:21 Tony Quested

TeraView cleared for world first cancer probe

TeraView, the Cambridge UK pioneer and leader in terahertz technology, has been cleared by regulators to start trials of a world-first, hand-held breast cancer probe.
With support from the Technology Strategy Board and in collaboration with surgeons at Guy’s Hospital in London, TeraView has developed the device as part of the world’s first commercial terahertz medical unit.The research unit is capable of imaging a wide range of tissues and is designed to allow developments to move seamlessly through in-vitro, ex vivo and into in vivo studies.
TeraView has received approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to conduct in-vivo clinical trials for biomedical research using its Terahertz Pulsed Imaging solution.
The trial at Guy’s is focused on the use of Terahertz as an intra-operative probe for the detection of cancer tissue during breast cancer surgery.
If successful, the trial will help surgeons better identify and enable accurate removal of cancer tissue in the breast, reduce second operation rates, improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs.
TeraView CEO Don Arnone said: “We are very pleased to have started the in-vivo trials. We have now been working in this area for over 10 years and it is very exciting to see the fruits of our efforts.
“This application of the technology has the potential to significantly improve clinical outcomes, reduce patient stress and reduce operational costs.”
Terahertz technology allows high-resolution subsurface imaging of tissue. It combines macroscopic and microscopic imaging that potentially allows the precise margin delineation of cancer tissue.
Due in part to its ability to recognise spectral fingerprints, TPI™ provides good contrast between different types of soft tissue, and is a sensitive means of detecting the degree of water content as well as other cancer markers.
TeraView’s proprietary TPI™ software is able to convert such molecular markers into 3D images and in so doing aid surgeons in differentiating between cancerous and non-cancerous tissues.
“This is an important development in the journey of our research into the application of terahertz technology in cancer patients and we are excited about the prospect of commencing the first clinical trial in breast cancer patients” said Arnie Purushotham, professor of breast cancer and consultant surgeon at Guy’s & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

Terahertz emitter harnesses 45-nm CMOS

R. Colin Johnson

7/2/2012 10:12 AM EDT

DALLAS -- Millimeter wavelength alternatives to traditional X-rays are already using terahertz-range frequencies to safely scan passengers, luggage and cargo at airports, albeit using bulky discrete devices. Silicon-based terahertz range emitters and detectors could downsize millimeter wave devices for a wide variety of applications beyond airport security, including safer medical imaging along with industrial and environmental applications aimed at detecting hazardous substances.

Earlier this year, Semiconductor Research Corp. (SRC, Research Triangle, N.C.) sponsored research demonstrating a CMOS detector operating in the terahertz range</A>. Now, Texas Instrument's has demonstrated a companion terahertz-range emitter created in cooperation with the SRC-sponsored Texas Analog Center of Excellence at the University of Texas at Dallas. TI's terahertz-range emitter uses a phase-locked loop (PLL) to stabilize its frequency, a necessity for making millimeter wavelength systems in CMOS commercially feasible.

"This is the highest frequency ever demonstrated for a phase-locked loop," claimed Brian Ginsburg, a design engineer at TI's Kilby Labs. "Stabilizing these ultra-high frequencies is [the] key to the future commercial success of millimeter wavelength CMOS applications [and] PLLs are fundamental to all high-performance electronics."

TI’s demonstration used an on-chip antenna that emits 390-GHz frequencies, but the researchers believe that improvements will enable the CMOS emitter to reach 600 GHz or higher using TI's 45-nm process technology.

"The [Federal Communications Commission] defines the terahertz range to be from 300 GHz to 3 THz," said Eunyoung Seok, a design engineer at TI's Kilby Labs. "For the future, we want to use TI's 45-nanometer process to cover more of this wider frequency range, as well as to increase our output power."

The current demonstration chip operates at 390 GHz using a multiplying PLL architecture with two frequency dividers in the feedback loop. The power emanating from the on-chip antenna was 2.2 microWatts.

In some applications, the ultra-high-frequency output from the on-chip antenna can be propagated and reflected by lenses and other optical components since the terahertz-range wavelengths are between the far infrared and microwave frequencies used for communications.

The world's first phase-locked loop for a CMOS terahertz emitter harnesses 45-nm process with on-chip antenna.