TOPTICA TeraScan ultra continuous-wave terahertz platform

TOPTICA Photonics has launched the TeraScan ultra — an ultrahigh-precision continuous-wave (cw) terahertz platform featuring comb-locked stability and spectral resolution down to 1 Hz. It is suitable for researchers who require good frequency stability, scanning flexibility and sub-Hz phase coherence across the full THz spectrum.

The product is designed to meet the most demanding requirements in THz communications research, channel sounding, wafer inspection and high-resolution spectroscopy. With a bandwidth of up to 5 THz and ultralow phase noise, it can be used in the generation and control of tuneable THz radiation.

At the heart of the system are two diode lasers — one tuneable, one fixed — both locked to a single optical frequency comb. A photomixer emitter converts the optical beat signal into a tuneable, monochromatic THz wave. TOPTICA’s proprietary ‘endless frequency shifter’ enables seamless frequency tuning while maintaining absolute control over phase and frequency — a crucial requirement for applications like photonic vector network analysis.

The system uses state-of-the-art InGaAs photomixers: a photodiode emitter and a Rh:InGaAs photomixer receiver, both packaged into compact, fibre-coupled modules. Operation modes include fixed frequency, sweep and triggered step scan — fully software-controlled.