Handheld T-ray Device promises new capabilities

“T-rays” have been touted as the next breakthrough in sensing and imaging, but the need for bulky equipment has been an obstacle to reaching the field’s potential. Enter Brian Schulkin, winner of the first-ever $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize. Schulkin has invented an ultralight, handheld terahertz spectrometer — an advance that could help catapult T-ray technology from the lab bench to the marketplace. Schulkin’s “Mini-Z” is dramatically smaller and lighter than any previous terahertz device, and it already has proven its ability to detect cracks in space shuttle foam, image tumors in breast tissue, and spot counterfeit watermarks on paper currency. The system, which weighs less than five pounds and fits snugly in a briefcase, could open the door to a wide range of applications in homeland security, biomedical imaging, and nondestructive testing of industrial components.

Schulkin, a doctoral student in physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is the first recipient of the $30,000 Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize. The award is given to a Rensselaer senior or graduate student who has created or improved a product or process, applied a technology in a new way, or otherwise demonstrated remarkable inventiveness.

“Discovery and innovation are the sparks that drive the global economy and enhance quality of life. The Lemelson-Rensselaer Student Prize is designed to inspire and reward those who push the boundaries of imagination, and do the creative work to break new ground,” said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. “Brian Schulkin embodies that spirit of innovation, discovery, and excellence. We celebrate his ingenuity and commitment. We applaud him and all of our students who participated in this inaugural competition, and we encourage them to keep exploring and to keep pushing the boundaries.”

The Next Wave in Sensing and Imaging

T-rays are based on the terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is defined by frequencies from 0.1 to 10 terahertz — just between infrared light and microwave radiation. “Terahertz waves are the last window in the electromagnetic spectrum to be exploited by scientists,” Schulkin said.

T-rays are useful for imaging defects within materials without destroying the objects or even removing them from their setting, and they offer major advantages over other techniques, according to Schulkin. They can penetrate many dry, non-metallic materials with better resolution than microwave radiation; they don’t pose the same health risks as X-rays; and unlike ultrasound, terahertz waves can provide images without contacting an object.

And T-ray systems offer more than just images: they can provide valuable spectroscopic information about the composition of a material, especially in chemical and biological species. Scientists have been exploring the terahertz region for more than two decades, but one of the main obstacles has been the size and weight of T-ray devices. “Conventional systems are tied down to the bench,” Schulkin said. “They are incredibly heavy, not portable, and require high-powered lasers, which are both expensive and large.”

The Mini-Z, however, is about the size of a laptop computer, and it does not require any peripheral equipment. “The first time the Mini-Z was on display, the kinds of comments we got were, ‘Where is the rest of it?’” Schulkin said.

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