Ricerc@Sapienza

The identification of chemicals or microorganisms and nanoparticles representing a threat to the environment is a major issue worldwide. Air-quality, plant health, food quality play an essential role in human life being directly related to peoples health. Demand for a high-levels of quality and safety make critical the development of methods for rapid non-destructive and effective evaluation of the presence of chemicals and biological contaminants.

R-SET is a project which embraces the exceptional properties of THz radiation alongside the new outbreaking Quantum Cascade Lasers and room-temperature 2D-bolometers for a feasibility study of a prototype advanced portable unit capable of monitoring quickly and remotely multiple substances at once e.g. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and pollutants. The unit will be equipped with an extended library of the targets fingerprint in the (0,1-6)THz that will allow discriminating for the different atmospheric components and their dynamical behaviour.

THz radiation has a high level of discrimination in the rotational and vibrational transitions of molecules and can therefore be used for their identification. THz is sensitive to polar molecules while interacts only weakly with non-polar onces (plastic, ceramic) therefore, THz spectroscopy is of big advantage to monitor through packaging materials. THz is not ionizing thus it is considered safe for the operators and targets. All these can result in a competitive method for the environmental monitoring.

For the feasibility tests we will select experiments where the limitations of the current technical investigations i.e. high selectivity linked to portability and rapidity, lower costs and operationality under extreme condition, are likely overcome by THz technology.

The project will benefit of the SapienzaTerahertz laboratory, founded in 2018 and supported by a large number of Sapienza departments and equipped with state-of-art THz technology.