UK terahertz research receives €2.5million boost

The award, an Advanced Investigator Grant, is in recognition of work in the field by Professor of teraherz technology, Edmund Linfield. It is one of only 105 projects selected across Europe out of 736 applicants in physical sciences and engineering. Prof Linfield plans to use the funding to study both the fundamental science and the potential applications of terahertz quantum cascade lasers. Quantum cascade lasers are small and potentially portable sources of radiation in the terahertz frequency range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Prof Linfield believes that the potential uses for terahertz technology are wide ranging, but are currently limited to niche applications in fields such as pharmaceutical analysis and astronomy, as most systems on the market are both expensive and physically large. Linfield said: "The availability of cheap, compact systems would open up a wide range of opportunities in fields including industrial process monitoring, security screening, atmospheric science, and medicine." The European award scheme is aimed at supporting the best established research leaders to carry out pioneering work in their field. Leeds has had increasing success in the scheme, now in its second year. Prof Linfield's grant follows an award in 2009 to Prof Giles Davies – also from the School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering – and is one of two made to the University in 2010. The School has one of the world's leading research groups in terahertz technology and one of the largest university facilities for terahertz research internationally. It is also one of a small number of laboratories in the world to grow terahertz quantum cascade lasers, using a technique known as molecular beam epitaxy. The School's system, which costs around £1million is designed to underpin the research funded through this European grant.