(Harvard SEAS: Cambridge, MA; University of Leeds: Leeds, UK) --  A collaborative team of applied scientists from Harvard University and the University of Leeds have demonstrated a new terahertz (THz) semiconductor laser that emits beams with a much smaller divergence than conventional THz laser sources. This advance in metamaterials opens the door to a wide range of applications in terahertz science and technology. Harvard has filed a broad patent on the invention.

Terahertz rays (T-rays) can penetrate efficiently through paper, clothing, plastic, and many other materials, making them ideal for detecting concealed weapons and biological agents, imaging tumors without harmful side effects, and spotting defects such as cracks within materials. THz radiation is also used for high-sensitivity detection of tiny concentrations of interstellar chemicals.

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