Chip scaLE terAheRtz dual-comb system

2026-07-22

‘Clear’ aims to increase the technology readiness level of the state-of-the-art miniaturized frequency comb (FC) and harmonic frequency comb (HFC) quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies, devised under the ERC Consolidator grant ‘SPRINT’, and develop a portable dual-comb sensing/imaging demonstrator apt to the translation of this technology to industrial end-users. The project aims to provide a compact, low-cost, small in production volume, size, weight and power consumption, dual-comb spectrometer (DCS) which provides short-term precision and long-term stability, superb signal-to-noise ratios, large spectral resolution, mW optical power/mode, and >1.3THz spectral coverage, employing the not-invasive broadband THz-frequency light of metrological FC sources without the need of neither complex moving parts nor gratings to separate optical frequencies and spread the optical spectrum. Both optical paths can easily be implemented on photonic chips, significantly reducing the design complexity and with excellent compensation for external perturbations, ensuring fast acquisition rates. The envisioned DCS performance far exceeds those of commercial time-domain or asynchronous optical sampling spectroscopy systems. Key objectives are: i) developing a compact, portable and accessible THz DCS; ii) validating its core technology with commercial end-users and at exhibitions; iii) evaluating opportunities by identifying new end-user applications, with a systematic market, IPR and regulatory compliance study. By the end of this programme, I plan to identify a solid exploitation route by directly collaborating with THz instrument producers and with targeted commercial end-users. Seeking new exploitation opportunities, ‘Clear’ prospects new directions and long-term impacts on many interdisciplinary fields crossing engineering, chemistry, biology, medicine, cultural heritage, quantum and optical communications.

Italy

2026-01-01