Known as spectroscopy, the ability to use light waves to analyse material is one of the most promising applications of terahertz technology which include medical imaging, communications and drug development.
The challenge has been that generating a range of terahertz waves and interpreting their interaction with a target requires a complex array of equipment.
According to the team, the solution lies in re-imaging how an antenna functions. When terahertz waves interact with a metal structure inside the chip, they create a complex distribution of electromagnetic fields that are unique to the incident signal.
The researchers realised they could read the patterns as a sort of signature to identify the waves. The entire process can be accomplished with devices inside the microchip that read the waves.
"What can you do with a billion transistors operating at terahertz frequencies?" assistant professor Kaushik Sengupta asked. "Only by re-imagining these complex electromagnetic interactions from fundamental principles can we invent game-changing new technology."
The chips can be manufactured using standard silicon chip technology.
