Terahertz (THz) radiation is any electromagnetic radiation whose frequency is within the THz band (0.1 THz - 10 THz). Unlike other bands of electromagnetic radiation, THz radiation generation has been challenging, and many important applications remain heavily underdeveloped. Recently, portable and powerful terahertz quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have been developed that open up many previously inaccessible pathways in THz research and applications. THz radiation is used in many applications, including chemical sensing, astronomy, security, environmental monitoring, data storage, and high-speed communications. Because of its ability to penetrate many materials, THz radiation also has applications in structural analysis and diagnosing skin cancer. The list goes on.
Needless to say, the improvement of THz sources will have significant impacts on many lives. Trevor seeks to improve THz sources, like the QCL, by developing new optoelectronic devices through nanofabrication procedures. This requires the use of a plethora of different tools from theoretical models and simulations, X-ray characterization from synchrotron sources, a variety of nanofabrication techniques, and of course, molecular beam epitaxy.