HELIOS Lab : Enabling Terahertz Research Across Ohio

Inside the The Ohio State University HELIOS Laboratory, assistant professor Kubilay Sertel cracks open a suitcase on the floor and retrieves a black metal object from inside.

“This is a Terahertz camera. The world’s first Terahertz camera,” he said. “This is how the HELIOS Lab came to be – with our research from five or six years ago, spinning out into a business, and then attracting the state of Ohio’s attention to support us.”

The imaging camera he developed for Traycer Diagnostic Systems has numerous applications in both medical and security realms. The device allows doctors to measure patient skin hydration levels in real time. It also provides for less invasive security screenings at airports, and helps pilots land safely in white-out or brown-out conditions. For consumers, the invention provides high-resolution subsurface imaging for packaging and quality control. The technology is even helping scientists detect specific molecules and gases in outer space.

Back in 2010, the Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering, an Ohio Third Frontier program, gave Ohio State $3 million to establish the Hyperspectral Engine Lab for Integrated Optical Systems, or HELIOS.

Today, Sertel said, the focus of HELIOS remains dedicated toward fostering and encouraging ongoing research in the relatively uncharted realms of the terahertz spectrum (a wavelength that lies in the gap between microwaves and infrared light).

Located on Kinnear Road in Columbus, HELIOS is part of the larger Ohio State ElectroScience Laboratory (ESL) complex, a major center-of-excellence in the university’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. ESL is one of the largest radio frequency and optics research laboratories in the world. Since 1942, its researchers have consistently maintained a national and international preeminence in electromagnetics.

Over the past five years, HELIOS has been utilizing Ohio’s resources to continually help academia and industry alike develop smaller, faster and lower-powered terahertz devices.

“We are ready and here for anyone who wants to do terahertz and millimeter wave characterizations. We have spectroscopy or imaging capabilities; any type of device or tissue characterization,” Niru Nahar said, HELIOS operational manager and Ohio State research assistant professor.

Watch a short video of Sertel and Nahar explaining the history and capabilities of the HELIOS Lab: http://go.osu.edu/helios

Sertel said the lab holds over $3 million in technical equipment, which industries and small businesses can utilize for terahertz and millimeter wave research applications that apply to imaging, spectroscopy, sensing, communications and integrated circuits.

“The idea is to have these in one place so small businesses that are developing sensors – particularly in the optical and high radio frequency range – can come and use the laboratory instrumentation at a fraction of the cost it would require for them to acquire this equipment themselves,” he said.

HELIOS research, Sertel said, remains dedicated to creating “the next-generation of electronics, with high speed transistors and integrated circuits.”

He said the technology is helping to open the door to future technological advancements in communication systems, on-chip antennas, terahertz frequency transistors, biomedical imaging, and new sensor development.

For more information, visit the HELIOS lab website at http://www.helios.osu.edu

TeraView partners with HELOIS

http://www.optoiq.com/index/photonics-technologies-applications/lfw-display/lfw-article-display/5291786850/articles/optoiq2/photonics-technologies/news/test-and_measurement/2011/3/TeraView-HELIOS-semi-pkg-analysis.html
Mar 15, 2011

Cambridge, England--TeraView, provider of terahertz solutions and technology, is collaborating with the Hyperspectral Engine Lab for Integrated Optical Systems (HELIOS) in a Third Frontier supported project based within the Electrical Engineering Department of Ohio State University (Columbus, OH). Headed by professor J. Volakis, HELIOS aims help turn technology into commercial solutions--in this case, to improve semiconductor package failure analysis using terahertz technology.

As part of the collaboration TeraView has provided one of its Electro Optical Terahertz Pulsed Reflectometry (EOTPR) systems. These units were originally developed with Intel and are used for isolating faults in advanced 3D semiconductor packages. This is the first time the technology has been made available outside of Intel and it is hoped to use the unit to expose the technology to a wider North American semiconductor audience. The EOTPR system provides an alternative use of terahertz signals. Electrical pulses containing frequency components in the terahertz region are generated and able to propagate through interconnects in semiconductor packages allowing greatly improved fault isolation.

"This is a great opportunity for TeraView." Said Don Arnone, Teraview's CEO. "Many semiconductor companies are reluctant to send their new developments overseas. With the unit at HELIOS customers can quickly run samples and see firsthand how this technology can isolate faults days quicker than current technologies. Over time we clearly believe that this will lead to more business for TeraView in North America and to support this we are looking to set up our US office within the region."

Beyond EOTPR both parties are looking for further areas to collaborate. Areas such as pharmaceuticals, terahertz imaging for security, and medical applications are under consideration.

A spin out from Toshiba and Cambridge University in 2001 and employing 25 staff, Teraview has been developing terahertz technology across a number of areas that include; medical imaging, electronics, defense and security, non-destructive testing, and pharmaceuticals.

SOURCE: TeraView; www.teraview.com/terahertz/news/terahertz-news/HELIOS.html

Posted by: Gail Overton 

WRIGHT CENTER FUNDING BOOSTS TERAHERTZ SENSOR RESEARCH AT OHIO STATE

A new, high sensitivity terahertz camera could enable visibility in brown-out conditions, such as during sand storms and/or rotorcraft take-off and landing in desert environments. Terahertz sensors could monitor the purity and quality of pharmaceutical products while on the production line, and be used by consumers to identify unmarked pills. These are just two examples of the groundbreaking research that is ongoing and will continue to grow at The Ohio State University’s new center for research, testing and commercialization of terahertz sensors.

The Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering, an Ohio Third Frontier program, recently awarded Ohio State $3 million to establish the Hyperspectral Engine Lab for Integrated Optical Systems (HELIOS). Ohio State will provide an additional $5 million in cost-share funding for equipment and services.

Through HELIOS, researchers aim to explore the still uncharted terahertz spectrum—a large part of the electromagnetic spectrum at frequencies between those of microwaves and infrared light—and utilize Ohio’s resources to develop smaller, faster and lower power terahertz devices.

“Terahertz is much like X-ray imaging as it can penetrate a wide variety of materials,” said John Volakis, director of the ElectroScience Laboratory and principal investigator of the Wright Center grant. “But it is far superior, because it is not harmful to tissues, and can reveal much more information.”

HELIOS’ research focus areas include terahertz wave imaging, active monitoring of electronics chips and pharmaceutical products for purity and quality control on the production line, diagnosing skin hydration for a variety of medical and cosmetic applications; and the next generation of radio frequency integrated circuits for high data rate proximity communications.

Kubilay Sertel, a research scientist at Ohio State’s ElectroScience Laboratory, is currently working with Traycer Diagnostic Systems Inc. to develop the first real-time, high sensitivity terahertz camera that will enable several critical imaging systems. Among these, the immediate applications include diagnosing skin hydration for a variety of medical and cosmetic applications; security screening through clothing and identification of explosive chemicals; enabling visibility in brown-out conditions, such as during sand storms and/or rotorcraft take-off and landing in desert environments; and high resolution subsurface imaging for packaging and quality control.

HELIOS researchers will also investigate new materials for reliable, low loss and low cost printing approaches, and for high performance terahertz devices and systems. HELIOS hopes to acquire and develop a millimeter-wave fabrication facility for peanut size electronics that can be used for low-cost commercial applications. This facility will serve as a learning and technology-transfer center for Ohio electronics companies.

As part of the ElectroScience Laboratory, HELIOS will be housed in the new Radio Frequency and Wireless Communication Research Building, which is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.

“Locating HELIOS at the ElectroScience Laboratory leverages Ohio State’s strong academic research base and engineering expertise in sensors and imaging, and capitalizes on existing investments in facilities, software and instrumentation,” Volakis said.

Three-year projections suggest that HELIOS will result in 62 new Ohio jobs created in addition to 16 academic research jobs. Within eight years, the center is projected to generate 222 new, high-paying technology jobs.

Seven companies and organizations are currently collaborating with the ElectroScience Laboratory in HELIOS: Raytheon Co., Northrop Grumman Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp., Valtronic Technologies, Traycer Diagnostic Systems Inc., TerraView Ltd., and the Institute for Development and Commercialization of Advanced Sensor Technology (IDCAST).

The ElectroScience Laboratory is a major center of excellence within The Ohio State University College of Engineering and is one of the largest radio frequency and optics research laboratories in the country. Established in 1942, ESL’s more than 100 faculty, research scientists and graduate students are involved in all aspects of electromagnetic, radio frequency and terahertz technologies.

The Wright Center for Sensor Systems Engineering  was established by a $24 million grant from Ohio’s Third Frontier Program to Cleveland State University. WCSSE addresses the opportunity to enhance Ohio products using Ohio business and university resources through the development and commercialization of sensors and sensor systems technologies.