Visible Measurement of Terahertz Power Based on Capsulized Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Film

• DOI: 10.3390/app8122580
• Publication Date: 2018-12-12T15:54:26Z
• Authors: Lei Wang; Hongsong Qiu; Thanh Nhat Khoa Phan; Kosaku Kato; Boyoung Kang; Keisuke Takano; Yanqing Lu; Lujian Chen; Peng Lv; Kehan Yu; Wei Wei; Biaobing Jin; Makoto Nakajima
• Keywords: Technology; QH301-705.5; cholesteric liquid crystal; T; Physics; QC1-999; 02 engineering and technology; Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); terahertz; Chemistry; quantitative visualization; TA1-2040; Biology (General); 0210 nano-technology; QD1-999

We demonstrate a new method to detect terahertz (THz) power using a temperature-supersensitive capsulized cholesteric liquid crystal film based on the thermochromic and thermodiffusion effect, which is clearly observed. A quantitative visualization of the THz intensity up to 4.0 × 103 mW/cm2 is presented. The diameter of the color change area is linearly dependent on the THz radiation power above 0.07 mW in the steady state. Moreover, the THz power can be detected for 1 sec of radiation with a parabolic relation to the color change area. The THz power meter is robust, cost-effective, portable, and even flexible, and can be used in applications such as THz imaging, biological sensing, and inspection.