Spire wins terahertz imaging contract
DARPA has awarded US-based Spire Corporation a $750,000 Phase II small business innovation research contract to develop a terahertz radiation system.
The small and portable system, which will contain Spire s quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), could enable detection of hidden explosives.
Terahertz radiation is well-suited to detecting hidden weapons and explosives because it can penetrate most container materials. And unlike the effects of X-rays, the radiation is though to pose no threat to health of humans or animals.
Spire will collaborate with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on the design of the GaAs-based QCLs, but will conduct epitaxial growth and device fabrication in-house.
"We are pleased to be developing terahertz imaging technology to advance defense against terrorism. There is a lot of interest in terahertz radiation for this as well as other applications, including medical instruments," said Roger Little, Spire s CEO.