Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) systems enable a wide range of applications from fundamental research to industrial non-destructive testing. However, the comparative bulk, mechanical sensitivity, and high cost have hindered their widespread use in applications outside of research labs.
Solutions for constructing more compact and lower cost THz-TDS systems based on semiconductor lasers have been around for more than 20 years. However, their performance has lagged far behind conventional systems. A type of light source that promises to fill this gap are monolithic mode-locked laser diodes (MLLDs). These sources emit stable pulse trains in the 1550 nm telecom band with sub-picosecond pulse durations and a repetition rate of a few dozen gigahertz. In this contribution, we review the theoretical background of THz-TDS using MLLDs and the steps that are necessary for achieving good system performance. We discuss promising applications and present first results as well as suitable data evaluation techniques.
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