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This work presents an experimental setup to control the way in which pressure interferes with the repeatability of in vivo THz skin measurements. By integrating a pressure sensor circuit into our THz system, it is possible to identify which measurements were taken within a previously specified pressure range. The live response of the pressure sensor helps to acquire data within the desired pressure leading to greater consistency of data between measurements. Additionally, a protocol is proposed to help achieve repeatable results and to remove the effects of the natural variation of the skin through the course of the day. This technique has been shown to be able to quantify the changes induced in the skin following the application of a moisturising skin product and shows the measured result to be significantly different from natural skin variation. This research therefore prepares the way for further studies on the effectiveness of different skin products using in vivo THz measurements.\ud \ud

The non-ionizing and non-invasive nature of THz radiation, combined with its high sensitivity to water, has made THz imaging and spectroscopy highly attractive for in vivo biomedical applications for many years. Among them, the skin is primarily investigated due to the short penetration depth of THz waves caused by the high attenuation by water in biological samples. However, a complete model of skin describing the THz–skin interaction is still needed. This is also fundamental to reveal the optical properties of the skin from the measured THz spectrum. It is crucial that the correct model is used, not just to ensure compatibility between different works, but more importantly to ensure the reliability of the data and conclusions. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the models applied to skin used in the THz regime, and we compare their adaptability, accuracy, and limitations. We show that most of the models attempt to extract the hydration profile inside the skin while there is also the anisotropic model that displays skin structural changes in the stratum corneum.

Terahertz imaging looks set to become an integral part of future applications from semiconductor quality control to medical diagnosis. This will only become a reality when the technology is sufficiently cheap and capabilities adequate to compete with others. Single-pixel cameras use a spatial light modulator and a detector with no spatial-resolution in their imaging process. The spatial-modulator is key as it imparts a series of encoding masks on the beam and the detector measures the dot product of each mask and the object, thereby allowing computers to recover an image via post-processing. They are inherently slower than parallel-pixel imaging arrays although they are more robust and cheaper, hence are highly applicable to the terahertz regime. This chapter dedicates itself to terahertz single-pixel cameras; their current implementations, future directions and how they compare to other terahertz imaging techniques. We start by outlining the competing imaging techniques, then we discuss the theory behind single-pixel imaging; the main section shows the methods of spatially modulating a terahertz beam; and finally there is a discussion about the future limits of such cameras and the concluding remarks express the authors’ vision for the future of single-pixel THz cameras.

We demonstrate the ability of THz imaging to evaluate the efficacy of transdermal drug delivery. Effects of transdermal drug delivery by topical and micro/nano-needle patch methods are measured. Our results prove that THz imaging is able to monitor the improved drug delivery efficacy given by a nanoneedle patch.

In this work we present a 3D printed mux/demux device based on rectangular waveguides. The principle of operation of the proposed technology relies on the coupled mode theory. The proposed device is able to merge and separate two independent broadband input channels into a single output channel. This represents an attractive option for novel passive elements able to process broadband THz signals for communication proposes.

Terahertz (THz) imaging is the focus of research regarding a growing number of biomedical applications. In this study the ability of in vivo THz measurements to distinguish the different effects of three commercial skin products composed of water, oil and a water-oil emulsion is investigated. It can be seen that some samples are received in a uniform way by many skin types while others show a broad range of responses.

In this Letter, we report a broadband frequency/polarization demultiplexer based on parallel-plate waveguides (PPWGs) for terahertz (THz) frequencies. The fabrication and experimental validation of this polarization sensitive demultiplexer is demonstrated for the range from 0.2 to 1 THz. Upgrading the demultiplexer by adding a second demultiplexer stage, a fifty-fifty amplitude splitter is also demonstrated in the same frequency range. The multiplexer is based on a stainless-steel traveling-wave antenna, exhibiting strong mechanical robustness. This unique device exhibits three splitting mechanisms in the same device: amplitude, polarization, and frequency splitting. This is a significant improvement for the next generation of THz passive components for communication purposes.

Transdermal drug delivery (TDD) is widely used for painless dosing due to its minimally invasive nature compared to hypodermic needle injection and its avoidance of the gastrointestinal tract. However, the stratum corneum obstructs the permeation of drugs into skin. Microneedle and nanoneedle patches are ways to enhance this permeation. In this work, terahertz (THz) imaging is utilized to compare the efficacy of different TDD methods including topical application and via a needle patch. Our work shows the feasibility and potential of using THz imaging to quantify and evaluate different transdermal application methods.

Terahertz (THz) radiation is poised to have an essential role in many imaging applications, from industrial inspections to medical diagnosis. However, commercialization is prevented by impractical and expensive THz instrumentation. Single-pixel cameras have emerged as alternatives to multi-pixel cameras due to reduced costs and superior durability. Here, by optimizing the modulation geometry and post-processing algorithms, we demonstrate the acquisition of a THz-video (32 × 32 pixels at 6 frames-per-second), shown in real-time, using a single-pixel fiber-coupled photoconductive THz detector. A laser diode with a digital micromirror device shining visible light onto silicon acts as the spatial THz modulator. We mathematically account for the temporal response of the system, reduce noise with a lock-in free carrier-wave modulation and realize quick, noise-robust image undersampling. Since our modifications do not impose intricate manufacturing, require long post-processing, nor sacrifice the time-resolving capabilities of THz-spectrometers, their greatest asset, this work has the potential to serve as a foundation for all future single-pixel THz imaging systems., Terahertz imaging is promising in many applications, but still relies on complex equipment. Here, the authors develop a simplified solution that enables terahertz real-time imaging using a single-pixel detector and rapid reconstruction methods.

Terahertz (THz) phase shifters are an essential component needed to realize many potential applications. Liquid crystals (LC) are commonly used at optical frequencies, yet to achieve an equivalent phase shift at THz frequencies the LC layer needs to be orders of magnitude thicker. Consequently, the time for the LC to relax back to its initial state is prohibitively slow. In this paper, we show for the first time how a thick, nematic phase LC cell can be switched actively in both directions, thereby achieving fast phase shifting of THz light. We call this THz in-plane and THz out-plane (TIP-TOP) switching. To achieve this, we have designed and fabricated a novel electrode structure, able to switch to and from both in-A nd out-plane orientations (TIP-TOP). The performance of the fabricated device provides an actively controllable phase delay with an ON-OFF cycle switching time of approximately 0.5 s: Almost 100 times faster than the usual cycle time which exceeds 40 s. Furthermore, the analysis of the director distributions allows us to understand the causes of the asymmetric switching times. The TIP-TOP cell presents the capability to work as a low insertion loss, fast THz phase shifter and could be scaled up to realize a phased array device.

A key step in transforming terahertz imaging to a practical medical imaging modality lies in understanding the interactions between terahertz (THz) waves and biological tissues. Most of the models in the literature use the permittivity of liquid water to simulate the THz-tissue interactions, but they often neglect contributions from the biological background such as proteins and lipids because dehydrated biological samples are experimentally difficult to prepare. In this work, we present a method to prepare thin and flat dehydrated samples which can be easily handled and measured in a transmission setup. Our results will provide fundamental parameters for modelling THz-tissue interactions.

This paper reports an accurate baseline and reference modification and acquisition algorithm for terahertz (THz) reflection measurements. The algorithm solves the spatial phase variation problem, which is a major accuracy limitation of THz reflection imaging. It also overcomes the sampling error problem without taking multiple measurements by utilizing two-dimensional data fitting. The algorithm records the spatial information and the laser power status as a database to precisely modify the baseline and reference in a measurement, providing a simple, efficient, and accurate real-time baseline and reference acquisition method. The experimental results show that the algorithm significantly improves the accuracy of the extracted optical properties of the sample with only half of the time required in a traditional THz imaging by avoiding additional baseline and reference measurements. The strong robustness of the algorithm is also proved by the experiment, giving a stable performance against laser power fluctuations. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

We report ultrabroadband, easily tunable, and highly efficient metamaterial-based terahertz wave retarders that are able to convert linear polarization into elliptical and circular polarization states. The functional device consists of a metamaterial microstructure and a grating coupler patterned on each side of fused silica substrates. The dielectric response of the metamaterial microstructure and the angular dependent phase dispersion of the grating coupler allow tuning of the phase differences from –110° to 110° within the range of a few terahertz while keeping the magnitudes of the two orthogonally transmitted waves equal. In particular, a high degree of circular polarization (>0.99) can be achieved from 1.78 to 4.88 THz for a specific dielectric value of spacer material 2.8 and angle of incidence –13°. The experimental results in the accessible frequency range of 0.2–2.3 THz show good agreement with the numerical simulations. Our study opens new opportunities for manipulating the broadband polarization responses of terahertz waves. This facilitates the development of new functional devices based on metamaterials for terahertz imaging and spectroscopy.

We propose an adaptive sampling algorithm to improve the acquisition efficiency for terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). Most THz-TDS measurements scan the delay line with constant speed and the data acquired have constant time steps. Our algorithm exploits the fact that the useful information within THz signals tends to cluster at certain positions: efficient sampling can be done by adaptively increasing the sample rate in regions containing more interesting features. The algorithm was implemented by programming a linear optical delay line. Depending on the experiment parameters, the sampling time of a pulse can be reduced by a factor of 2–3 with only slight degradation in accuracy, possible sources of error are discussed. We show how adaptive sampling algorithms can improve the acquisition time in applications where the main pulse is the primary concern.

We propose a genetic algorithm (GA) based method to improve the sampling efficiency in THz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). For a typical time domain THz signal, most information are contained in a short region of the pulse which needs to be densely sampled, while the other regions fluctuating around zero can be represented by fewer points. Based on this clustering feature of the THz signal, we can use much fewer sampling points and optimize the distribution by using a GA to achieve an accurate scanning in less time. Both reflection and transmission measurements were conducted to experimentally verify the performance. The measurement results show that the sampling time can be greatly reduced while maintaining very high accuracy both in the time-domain and frequency-domain compared with a high-resolution step scan. This method significantly improves the measurement efficiency. It can be easily adapted to most THz-TDS systems equipped with a mechanical delay stage for fast detection and THz imaging.\ud

The accuracy of thin-film characterization in terahertz spectroscopy is mainly set by the thickness uncertainty. Physical thickness measurement has limited accuracy for thin-film samples thinner than a few hundreds of micrometers and is sometimes even impossible. The temporal resolution of time-domain terahertz spectrometers is not sufficient to resolve such thin films. Previously reported numerical methods mainly only work for materials with low dispersion and absorption. Here, we propose a novel method for thickness determination by fitting a non-inflection offset exponential function to the material optical properties. Theoretical analysis predicts the best fitting to only be achieved when the correct thickness is given. Transmission measurements on a thin-film polymer, water, and a lactose pallet verify the theory and show the accurate thickness determination and property characterization on materials which are either achromatic or dispersive, transparent or absorptive, featureless or resonant. The measurements demonstrate the best versatility and sensitivity compared to the state-of-art. The method could be widely adapted to various types of research and industrial applications.

Terahertz radiation is highly sensitive to water content, giving it the potential to be a powerful tool for discerning slight variation in skin. In this work, in vivo measurements exhibit a clear difference between Asian male and Caucasian male skin, whilst showing no statistically significant difference between right (dominant arm) and left volar forearms. This paper demonstrates how sensitive THz skin measurements are and highlights the potential of applying this technology for dermatology research. It is discussed that factors such as the ethnicity of the patient would have to be accounted for during the analysis of skin data where negative conditions may be present, for an accurate diagnosis.

We demonstrate that multi-element interdigitated photoconductive emitters can rapidly and precisely modulate broadband terahertz radiation between linear (horizontal or vertical) and circular polarization states. The rapid electrical modulation between polarization states is beneficial for THz time-domain spectroscopic ellipsometry: it eliminates mechanical rotation and enhances the relevant figures of merit.

The characterization of thin film liquids is not as straightforward as bulk materials, as it requires accurate control of the thin film thickness and precise measurements of the amplitude and phase of the signals. We propose a multilayer structure for terahertz (THz) time domain reflection spectroscopy (TDRS) characterization of thin film liquids, the equations for this geometry are derived and the water-ethanol mixtures with various concentrations are measured, the refractive indices and absorption coefficients extracted from the proposed geometry and ordinary bulk reflection geometry match well. This work demonstrates that the proposed multilayer structure can be used to extract the optical properties of liquids by using a tiny amount of the sample, it can be potentially applied to characterize valuable biological aqueous solutions in the future.

One important downfall of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is the slow data acquisition rate by the point-by-point sampling. In many cases requiring a fast measurement such as raster-scan imaging, the signal-to-noise ratio is usually bad due to the very short integration time. We propose a denoising algorithm that efficiently reduces the noise from the system and/or watervapour absorptions. Experimental results demonstrate a significantly improved accuracy and reduced standard deviation.

We propose a multilayer geometry to characterize thin-film samples in reflection terahertz time domain spectroscopy. Theory indicates that this geometry has higher sensitivity compared to ordinary transmission or reflection geometries when characterizing both low- and high-absorption samples. Pure water and water–ethanol mixtures are measured to verify the characterization accuracy of the proposed geometry and its capability to measure trace liquids. Paraffin-embedded oral cancer tissue is imaged to further show how the proposed geometry enhances the sensitivity for solid low-absorptive films.\ud \ud

Metamaterial assisted terahertz (THz) label-free bio-sensing has promising applications. However, the sensitive THz detection of highly absorptive liquid samples remains challenging. Here, we present a novel multi-microfluidic-channel metamaterial biosensor (MMCMMB) for highly sensitive THz sensing of small volume liquid samples. The multi-channels are set mostly in the strong electric field enhancement area of the metamaterial, which significantly decreases the liquid amount and enhances interaction between the sensing targets and the THz wave (thus increasing the sensitivity). The sensing results of isopropyl alcohol (IPA)-water mixtures and bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions based on the bow-tie array metamaterial with multi-channels demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed design and the great potential in THz bio-sensing. This design has the advantages of being highly sensitive, label-free, cost-effective, easy to operate and only needing a tiny liquid volume. Thus our device provides a robust route for metamaterial assisted THz label-free bio-sensing of liquid-based substances.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in the proliferation of various cancers, and the expression level of EGFR in tumor tissues can provide a basis for the diagnosis and prognosis. Improving the detection technology of EGFR to achieve high sensitivity and faster speed will benefit the diagnosis of many types of tumors. Trace biological samples can be sensitively measured with terahertz (THz) metamaterial devices. Here, a bow-tie array THz metamaterial biosensor is presented and modified with gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and EGFR antibodies for specific EGFR detection. The effect of the size of the GNP on the sensitivity enhancement was also analyzed. Enhanced sensing for EGFR was achieved with the assistance of GNPs and EGFR antibodies. Importantly, the metamaterial functionalized by GNPs and antibodies with a bigger GNP diameter achieves a greater resonance frequency shift. The proposed metamaterial biosensor can also realize tiny-volume EGFR solution detection. Our proposed technique can therefore sense EGFR sensitively with high speed, and can potentially be applied to achieve quick and accurate detection of EGFR related tumors.

Potential applications of terahertz (THz) radiation are constantly being investigated for high-speed communication due to its large bandwidth. For example, frequency hopping communication technology would benefit from the large bandwidth. To attach the information to the carrier wave, THz modulators with deep and stable modulation at different frequencies are crucial, yet are still lacking. Here a THz modulator, designed by integrating a non-resonant field enhancement effect of periodic metal microslits to assist a Fabry-Perot resonance structure (MS-FP) is proposed and demonstrated. New equations are developed to describe the superior performance of the novel design. The >95% modulation depth is achieved by a SiO2/Si gated graphene device at 14 Fabry-Perot resonant frequencies across 1.4 THz bandwidth, outperforming the recently reported 75% modulation depth THz modulator with a similar Fabry-Perot structure.

Spectroscopic THz imaging of human skin can reveal hydration levels and yield insight into skin afflictions. However, in-vivo measurements necessitate careful studies of all variables that can affect the skin's response. Here, we investigate how pressure affects the response of human skin during THz in-vivo investigations. Our findings show that increasing the pressure increases the refractive index. Therefore, inconsistent control of the pressure during THz in-vivo imaging will cause measurement inaccuracies and hinder valid diagnosis. Here we present how to monitor and control the pressure, our results can potentially be used for calibration of THz in vivo measurements.

We present a novel multi-microfluidic-channel metamaterial biosensor (MCMB) for highly sensitive terahertz (THz) sensing of tiny volume liquid samples. The multi-channels are set mainly in the strong electric field enhancement area of the metamaterial, which significantly decreases the liquid amount and enhances interaction between the sensing targets and the THz wave (thus increasing the sensitivity). The water sensing results demonstrate the effectiveness of this proposed design and the great potential in THz biosensing.

Measurements of materials with optically thin thickness result in unresolvable time-domain signals, which bring difficulties in property characterization and accurate thickness determination. A genetic algorithm is creatively introduced in this work to accurately determine both the optical property and the thickness of samples with time-unresolvable characteristics. Experimental results demonstrated excellent accuracy of the algorithm for samples as thin as $50 \ \mu \mathrm{m}$ .

The symmetry dependences of plasmon excitation modes are studied in 3D silver nanorod trimers. The degenerate plasmon modes split into chiral modes by breaking the inversion and mirror symmetry of the nanorod trimer through translation and/or rotation of the middle rod. With a translation operation, successive evolution of the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum can be achieved through gradual breaking of the inversion symmetry. An additional rotation operation produces even dramatic spectral changes due to breaking a quasi-mirror symmetry resulted from the same angular distance of the middle rod to the top and bottom rods. Especially, pairs of new chiral modes can be excited due to the contact of the middle rod with the top-bottom rod pair. The spectral changes in the simulations, which are also demonstrated experimentally, envision the 3D chiral nanorod trimer system as plasmon ruler for spatial configuration retrieval and dynamic bio-process analysis at the single molecule level.

Active broadband terahertz (THz) polarization manipulation devices are challenging to realize, but also of great demand in broadband terahertz systems. Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows a promising phase transition for active control of THz waves and provides broadband polarization characteristics when integrated within grating-type structures. We creatively combine a VO2-based grating structure with a total internal reflection (TIR) geometry providing a novel interaction mechanism between the electromagnetic waves and the device, to realize a powerful active broadband THz polarization-controlling device. The device is based on a Si-substrate coated with a VO2 layer and a metal grating structure on top, attached to a prism for generating the TIR condition on the Si-VO2-grating interface. The grating is connected to electrodes for electrically switching the VO2 between its insulating and conducting phases. By properly selecting the incident angle of the THz waves, the grating direction, and the incident polarization state, we first achieved a broadband intensity modulator under a fused silica prism with an average modulation depth of 99.75% in the 0.2-1.1 THz region. Additionally, we realized an active ultra-broadband quarter-wave converter under a Si prism that can be switched between a 45° linear rotator and a quarter wave converter in the 0.8-1.5 THz region. This is the first demonstration of an active quarter-wave converter with ultra-broad bandwidth performance. Our work shows a highly flexible and multifunctional polarization-controlling device for broadband THz applications.

We propose a novel method for establishing and aligning a THz ellipsometry system and for calibrating ellipsometry signals for precise THz ellipsometry measurements. The method significantly improves the THz ellipsometry accuracy compared to the current publications.

Terahertz instrumentation has improved significantly in recent years such that THz imaging systems have become more affordable and easier to use. THz systems can now be operated by non-THz experts greatly facilitating research into many potential applications. Due to the non-ionising nature of THz light and its high sensitivity to soft tissues, there is an increasing interest in biomedical applications including both in vivo and ex vivo studies. Additionally, research continues into understanding the origin of contrast and how to interpret terahertz biomedical images. This short review highlights some of the recent work in these areas and suggests some future research directions.

Modulation of visible light has been easily achieved for decades, but modulation of terahertz (THz) light still remains a challenge. To address this issue, the Fresnel equations have been developed to describe a conductive interface in a total internal reflection geometry and reveal a new approach for modulation. To demonstrate this new mechanism, a broadband device achieving a modulation depth greater than 90% between 0.15 and 0.4 THz, and reaching a maximum of 99.3% at 0.24 THz has been designed. The modulation is achieved by applying a gate voltage between −0.1 and 2 V to a graphene layer in a total internal reflection geometry. Compared to conventional designs, the high modulation is realized without assistance from metamaterial structures, resonant cavities, or multistacked graphene layers. Thus, the design is efficient and easy-to-fabricate and can be easily retrofitted to most existing THz systems. This work opens up a new avenue of research as the device has verified the theory and demonstrates how it can be used to make practical devices, bringing a promising new paradigm for THz modulation, thin-film sensing, and noninvasive material characterization. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

For ex vivo biological imaging, sample handling can affect image contrast. We investigate the effects of the slow freeze-thaw cycle on the THz properties of porcine lean and fat tissues. Lean tissues showed a significant decrease in the refractive index after the freeze-thaw cycle while there was no significant change observed in THz properties of fat tissues. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Hypertrophic scars are abnormal scars that are often raised above the normal skin surface. We imaged two hypertrophic scars in vivo and compared the results with those from the normal scars. Clear contrast was observed between the scars and healthy tissues. Furthermore, we found that the hypertrophic scars have a lower refractive index compared to the healthy skin, while the normal scars have a higher refractive index.

Terahertz light is so strongly absorbed by water that a subtle change in sample water content, be it due to the presence of a medical condition or due to environmental conditions or storage, can affect the terahertz response. This makes it challenging to devise experimental protocols to investigate potential biomedical applications of terahertz imaging and spectroscopy. In this work we detail some of our methods to address these issues.

We use terahertz imaging to measure four human skin scars in vivo. Clear contrast between the refractive index of the scar and surrounding tissue was observed for all of the scars, despite some being difficult to see with the naked eye. Additionally, we monitored the healing process of a hypertrophic scar. We found that the contrast in the absorption coefficient became less prominent after a few months post-injury, but that the contrast in the refractive index was still significant even months post-injury. Our results demonstrate the capability of terahertz imaging to quantitatively measure subtle changes in skin properties and this may be useful for improving scar treatment and management. (Figure presented.). Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Water diffusion and the concentration profile within the skin significantly affect the surrounding chemical absorption and molecular synthesis. Occluding the skin causes water to accumulate in the top layer of the skin (the stratum corneum) and also affects the water diffusivity. Scar treatments such as silicone gel and silicone sheets make use of occlusion to increase skin hydration. However with existing techniques, it is not possible to quantitatively measure the diffusivity of the water during occlusion: current methods determine water diffusivity by measuring the water evaporated through the skin and thus require the skin to breathe. In this work we use the high sensitivity of terahertz light to water to study how the water content in the stratum corneum changes upon occlusion. From our measurements, we can solve the diffusion equations in the stratum corneum to deduce the water concentration profile in occluded skin and subsequently to determine the diffusivity. To our knowledge this is the first work showing how the diffusivity of human skin can be measured during occlusion and we envisage this paper as being used as a guide for non‐invasively determining the diffusivity of occluded human skin in vivo.

In this work, we show how fiber-based terahertz systems can be robustly configured for accurate terahertz ellipsometry. To this end, we explain how our algorithms can be successfully applied to achieve accurate spectroscopic ellipsometry with a high tolerance on the imperfect polarizer extinction ratio and pulse shift errors. Highly accurate characterization of transparent, absorptive, and conductive samples comprehensively demonstrates the versatility of our algorithms. The improved accuracy we achieve is a fundamental breakthrough for reflection-based measurements and overcomes the hurdle of phase uncertainty.

International audience; Terahertz (THz) metamaterials have recently attracted much interest due to their ability to tune propagation properties using sub-wavelength structures. In this paper we demonstrate the first metamaterial device developed by patterning a vanadium dioxide (VO2) wire-grid structure onto a c-sapphire substrate. Temperature and polarization dependent THz time-domain spectroscopy transmission measurements are taken to evaluate the device performance as a function of the metamaterial parameters. The transmission variance with polarization is enhanced by increasing the filling factor of the wire-grid structure.

We demonstrate a composite multiscale entropy (CMSE) method of terahertz (THz) signal complexity analysis to distinguish different biological tissues. The THz signals reflected from fresh porcine skin and muscle tissues were measured and analyzed. The statistically significant difference and separation of the two tissues based on several parameters were analyzed and compared for THz spectroscopy and imaging, which verified the better performance of the CMSE method and further enhancement of the contrast among THz signals that interact with different tissues. This process provides a better analysis and discrimination method for THz spectroscopy and imaging in biomedical applications.

We demonstrate how a metal wire grating can work as a 45° polarization converter, a quarter-wave retarder, and a half-wave retarder over a broadband terahertz range when set up in total internal reflection geometry. Classical electromagnetic theory is applied to understand the mechanism, and equations to calculate the polarization state of reflected light are derived. We use a metal grating with a period of 20 μm and width of 10 μm on a fused silica surface: linearly polarized terahertz light incident from fused silica with a supercritical incident angle of 52° is totally reflected by the metal grating and air. The polarization of the terahertz light is rotated by 45°, 90°, and circularly polarized by simply rotating the wire grating. The performance is achromatic over the measured range of 0.1–0.7 THz and comparable to commercial visible light wave retarders.

There have recently been several studies published involving terahertz (THz) imaging of frozen biomedical samples. In this paper, we investigate the effects of the freeze-thaw cycle on THz properties of porcine muscle and fat samples. For ordinary freezing, there was a significant change in the THz properties after thawing for muscle tissue but not for fat tissue. However, if snap-freezing was combined with fast-thawing instead of ordinary freezing and ordinary thawing, then the freeze-thaw hysteresis was removed. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

We introduce a novel method to accurately extract the optical parameters in terahertz reflection imaging. Our method builds on standard self-referencing methods using the reflected signal from the bottom of the imaging window material to further compensate for time-dependent system fluctuations and position-dependent variation in the window thickness. Our proposed method not only improves the accuracy, but also simplifies the imaging procedure and reduces measurement times. Refereed/Peer-reviewed