Physics Dept Seminar

January 25, Thursday (*SPECIAL DAY*)

Terahertz Technology:

Heading Towards Ubiquitous Applications

Dr. Junliang Dong

National Institute of Scientific Research (INRS), Canada

(Optics, Host: Benjamin Thomas)

*SPECIAL TIME: 1:15-2:15 pm with 1:00 pm teatime

Room: ECE 202

The terahertz (THz) region of the electromagnetic spectrum lies between microwaves and infrared light, at the boundary between electronics and photonics. Over the past two decades, THz technology has experienced rapid development and growing numbers of multidisciplinary applications are emerging, including nondestructive testing, security screening, biomedical imaging, communications, as well as art conservation science. However, current THz systems suffer from some intrinsic challenges, such as large footprints, low acquisition speeds, and limited image resolutions. In this talk, Dr. Junliang Dong will introduce his exploration of innovative techniques to enhance the performance of THz devices and systems, in order to unlock the full potential and realize the ubiquitous applications of THz technology. First, he will present how to enhance the capability of THz time-of-flight tomography with advanced deconvolution techniques, which can overcome the wavelength limitation and achieve super-resolution for the characterization of multilayered structures. In particular, he will demonstrate how to apply the enhanced THz tomography for monitoring nanoparticle-assisted laser-tissue interaction and visualizing the localized tissue damage, which can be implemented across a broad range of clinical applications, such as laser ablation and photothermal therapies for cancer treatments. Next, he will discuss how to synergistically combine THz optics and computations to realize fast, real-time, and even ultrafast THz imaging modalities. Then, he will describe his work on developing waveguide-integrated signal-processing devices for THz communications. Such devices provide a versatile platform with remarkable structural simplicity, yet feature unprecedented signal-processing functionalities, in turn paving the way for processing data streams at Tb/s in future 6G networks. In the end, Dr. Dong will conclude the talk with his research visions on merging key THz technologies with machine learning and quantum technologies to develop the next-generation intelligent THz devices and systems for cutting-edge applications, such as smart THz imaging, smart 6G networks, as well as smart health services.