Introduction to THz Photonics
Scientific and technological advancements in the fields of nano-bio photonics and THz photonics have been making rapid progress during the last 20 years. Combining these two fields, we have been working on various topics of nano-bio THz photonics, in both theoretical and experimental aspects.
About THz Wave
Terahertz (THz) wave is electromagnetic wave or light in a frequency range of 0.3-30 THz, located between microwave (electronics) and infrared (optics) frequencies. THz operation frequencies have traditionally been a long-standing goal for both high-speed microwave semiconductor devices in electronics and long-wavelength devices in optics. The THz band is now becoming more and more important both scientifically and technologically, providing tremendous new opportunities in the fields of nanotechnology (NT), biotechnology (BT), and information technology (IT), giving birth to THz photonics
Fundamental Importance of THz Wave: Light-Matter Interaction
At the most fundamental level, what distinguishes a spectral band from another is how the electromagnetic wave interacts with matter, which determines the importance of the electromagnetic wave, both scientifically and technologically. For light-matter interaction, THz photon energy (1.2-120 meV) is closely related with the intraband dynamics of semiconductors and metals, and intermolecular dynamics of biomolecular systems (including water molecules). This interaction energies also justifies the potential application areas of THz photonics: nanotechnology and biotechnology.
