Collection of ENEA technology and expertise
Compact Free Electron Laser (FEL) operating in the THz spectral region
Application sectors
AerospaceAgro - foodCultural heritageLife sciences and health applications
Problem to solve
Obtain a radiation source with high peak power (of the order of kW) to have a high Signal to Noise ratio and examine the electric field effects, and in the meantime a low average power (of the order of mW) to avoid damaging and heating of the sample, fundamental requirements in the biological and cultural heritage fields.
Description
The facility makes use of an electron accelerator (microtron), able to accelerate electrons to relativistic velocities, between 2.3 and 5 MeV, associated with a control system of the emitted beam and a magnetic undulator where the FEL interaction takes place. The system is able to produce radiation in the spectral region between 100 and 150 GHz with a peak power exceeding the kW range.
Innovative aspects and advantages
- Avoids manually opering the sample for measurements
- Non-invasive, non-destructive
- Potentially applicable to the total production, and not just to a sampling
- Subsurface analysis, not available with other technologies
- Ability of operating on the fundamental mode, while Gyrotrons operate on high-order modes
- High peak power and low average power (non-invasive, non-destructive)
- Higher powers compered to conventional electronic and optical sources (except Gyrotrons)
Admissible applications
- Aerospace applications: determination of subsurface defects in non-metallic components
- Agri-food applications: determination of the amount of water in samples, even with shell
- Biological effects of THz radiation and drug delivery techniques
- Cultural heritage applications: determination of hidden water damage
- Cultural heritage applications: determination of information on subsurface characteristics of samples
Research group involved
Giovenale Emilio NUC-DTT-COD ;Doria Andrea NUC-TECFIS-ACP
Revision date
03-06-2025
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