NIST Develops Ultra-Sensitive Gas Detector Using Terahertz Technology
The US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has created a groundbreaking sensor that can detect trace gases hundreds of times faster and more sensitively than current technologies. This new sensor uses terahertz radiation to rotate gas molecules at rates unique to each type of gas, allowing it to simultaneously identify and quantify multiple trace gases at high speed.
A key innovation is the sensor’s ability to “chirp” – rapidly scanning through the entire terahertz frequency range using “chirped-pulse terahertz spectroscopy.” This enables it to analyze all possible gas molecules nearly instantaneously, overcoming the need for slow, sequential frequency scanning.
The sensor is built from “off-the-shelf technology” and can be easily integrated into portable devices. NIST researchers believe this technology has significant commercial potential and have applied for a patent. The findings were published in Optics Express in April 2011.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2011/05/secret-behind-nists-new-gas-detector-chirp-sniffing
Keywords: Terahertz radiation, Gas molecules, Trace gases
