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AssigneeUniversity of Virginia Patent Foundation
InventorsBoris Gelmont, Tatiana Globus, Nathan Swami, Robert M Weikle, Arthur Weston Lichtenberger, Ramakrishnan Parthasarathy, Alexei Bykhovski
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for enhanced THz radiation coupling to molecules, includes the steps of depositing a test material near the discontinuity edges of a slotted member, and enhancing the THz radiation by transmitting THz radiation through the slots. The molecules of the test material are illuminated by the enhanced THz radiation that has been transmitted through the slots, thereby producing an increased coupling of EM radiation in the THz spectral range to said material. The molecules can be bio-molecules, explosive materials, or species of organisms. The slotted member can be a semiconductor film, a metallic film, in particular InSb, or layers thereof. THz detectors sense near field THz radiation that has been transmitted through said slots and the test material.
An integrated THz micro-detector assembly comprising a sub-micron probe connected to a miniature bolometer detector and control circuit with a corresponding impedance matching network to achieve the precise detection of the electric field in the near-field configuration, said sub-micron probe being mounted on a stage and positioned for near field scanning, with a resolution of less than 1 nm, over the sample under test along XYZ direction with nanometer accuracy controlled by said control circuit, wherein said sub-micron probe is positioned in the near field of THz radiation through an analyte sample, within 2 microns of said sample, and
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.