Demonstration of a self-mixing displacement sensor based on terahertz quantum cascade lasers

Journal Article · Mon Aug 22 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3629991· OSTI ID:22027720

Lim, Yah Leng; Nikolic, Milan; Kliese, Russell; Wilson, Stephen J; Rakic, Aleksandar D ^[1]; Dean, Paul; Khanna, Suraj P; Lachab, Mohammad; Valavanis, Alex; Indjin, Dragan; Ikonic, Zoran; Harrison, Paul; Linfield, Edmund H; Giles Davies, A ^[2]

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1. School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, QLD 4072 (Australia)
2. School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)

There has been growing interest in the use of terahertz (THz) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) for sensing applications. However, the lack of compact and sensitive THz detectors has limited the potential for commercial exploitation of sensors based on these devices. We have developed a self-mixing sensing technique in which THz QCLs are used for both generation and interferometric sensing of THz radiation, eliminating the need for a separate detector. Using this technique, we have measured the displacement of a remote target, both with and without opaque (in the visible spectrum) materials in the beam path and demonstrated a stand-off distance of up to 7 m in air.

• OSTI ID: 22027720
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 8; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AIR
DISTANCE
INTERFEROMETRY
LASERS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MIXING
SENSORS
THZ RANGE
VISIBLE RADIATION
VISIBLE SPECTRA