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Photo of the detector setup at the THz calibration facility of PTB.

EMRP project develops traceable calibration service for terahertz detectors used in scanners and drug detection

A new facility has been opened at PTB (Germany) to enable calibration of THz detectors used in security applications such as scanning systems and spectrometers for the detection of illicit or hazardous substances. The facility, established as part of EMRP project THz security (NEW07), is already being used by customers from leading laser power meter suppliers, research institutions and high-tech industries around the world.

Traceable calibrations can now be carried out at frequencies of 0.7 Hz up to 5 THz, significantly expanding the robust and reliable measurement range. The previous lack of measurement capability has hindered the development of emerging terahertz technologies, preventing reliable assessment of human exposure in support of safety limits and hampering use in security applications.

NEW07 'Microwave and terahertz metrology for homeland security' aimed to provide the necessary metrology for newly-emerging security technologies, initiating the first standardisation activities for spectrometers and scanners in the millimetre wave and THz regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.