Terahertz photonic heterodyne spectral analysis with (sub-) kHz resolution and 6.5 THz frequency coverage
Krause B, Müller S, Puppe T, Liebermeister L, Schwanke G, Deumer M, Kohlhaas R, Wilk R, Vieweg N, Preu S (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
Book Volume: 16
Article Number: 10594
Journal Issue: 1
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-66457-6
Abstract
Spectrum analyzers and spectrometers are essential for designing sources, analyzing material properties, layer structures and fingerprinting substances. We present an ultra-wideband, continuous-wave photonic receiver with kHz-level spectral resolution in the terahertz domain for both heterodyne and homodyne detection. Employed as a spectrum analyzer front end, it records the emitted spectrum of a source under test, assessing spectral purity, spectral shape and undesired frequency components. It outperforms state-of-the-art electronic systems in terms of frequency coverage and system cost with a competitive spectral resolution and noise floor on the few aW/Hz level at room temperature. It covers the important frequencies above 1.5 THz, yet commercially inaccessible, where sources like quantum cascade lasers operate. When combined with a comb-based photonic source, we demonstrate hetero- and homodyne spectroscopy over an unprecedented frequency range from below 100 GHz to 6.5 THz and a very low noise floor. Locking the photonic system to GPS enables tracing back the measured parameters to SI units, being of key importance for metrological applications. The presented setups offer the broadest continuous-wave frequency coverage to date, combined with a sharp spectral resolution, enabling diverse applications ranging from fast non-destructive testing, astronomic high-resolution spectroscopy, to frequency-modulated RADAR.
Involved external institutions
Technische Universität Darmstadt
Germany (DE)
TOPTICA Photonics AG
Germany (DE)
Fraunhofer-Institut für Nachrichtentechnik (Heinrich-Hertz-Institut FhG HHI)
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
TOPTICA Photonics AG
Germany (DE)
Fraunhofer-Institut für Nachrichtentechnik (Heinrich-Hertz-Institut FhG HHI)
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Krause, B., Müller, S., Puppe, T., Liebermeister, L., Schwanke, G., Deumer, M.,... Preu, S. (2025). Terahertz photonic heterodyne spectral analysis with (sub-) kHz resolution and 6.5 THz frequency coverage. Nature Communications, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66457-6
MLA:
Krause, Benedikt, et al. "Terahertz photonic heterodyne spectral analysis with (sub-) kHz resolution and 6.5 THz frequency coverage." Nature Communications 16.1 (2025).
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