Checking in on TeraTop

TeraTOP

Terahertz Photonic Imager on Chip

My Note: I try to keep an eye on developments at TeraTop,  by checking their webpage intermittently. The last news article posted references a project meeting to be held last February, but  nothing has been posted since then (which is accessible to the public at least). The lofty goals of TeraTop,  are identified on the webpage below.
 I note that Darpa, is also working in this area, and is getting closer to the development of a solid state THz chip operating at frequencies above 1 THz, and it will be interesting to see if TeraTop can reach the 1.5 THz range by project close in 2014.  
http://www.teratop.eu/node/1

The impressive developments in the field of electronic imaging based on CMOS Imagers have generated worldwide enormous business opportunities, with revenues of more than $4B in 2009 at the component level alone. Today such Imagers almost solely address the visible and near-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Many applications would profit from affordable and reliable Imagers for the terahertz band, notably in surveillance and security.
The goal of TeraTOP is to develop a new high performance, low cost, THz Imager for passive imaging systems (0.5-1.5THz) based on CMOS batch manufacturing processes: A unique combination of several leading technologies will enable a real quantum leap in THz Imaging in terms of performance, size and costs. THz photonics components (THz lens, optical window and filters), THz antennas, CMOS-SOI (Silicon on Insulator) and NEMS are the key enabling building blocks that will be developed and combined to achieve such a breakthrough in functionality (passive, room temperature operation), performance (NETD of 0.5K), component size (THz imager on a chip) and significant cost reduction (< 7000 €).
The objective is to bring the disruptive technology from the research lab closer to applications, by developing a passive THz Imager for Concealed Weapons Detection. The cost efficient approach will enable a massive deployment of the TeraTOP Imagers, including crowded places, providing therefore a highly efficient response to terrorists' threats. Other applications can be envisioned in medical imaging e.g. skin cancer detection, or astronomy.
The consortium includes a mix of scientific and technological excellence (University of Wuppertal, the IIT, CEA-Léti), as well as leading industrial research groups (IBM, CSEM) and companies (EADS, QMC). The exploitation activities will be led by the key European industrial partner EADS. This will ensure that the project will target the current security needs and the results will lead to product development and promptly implemented on a wide scale across Europe for the benefit of its citizens.