Terahertz pulse imaging: A promising non-invasive diagnostic modality

Abstract The terahertz radiation, also known as THZ light or T-rays, lies between the microwave and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum typically defined as 0.1–10 THZ. It is strongly attenuated by water and very sensitive to water content. Terahertz radiation has very low photon energy and thus it does not pose any ionization hazard for biological tissues. These unique features make terahertz imaging very attractive for dental applications in order to provide complimentary information to existing imaging techniques. There has been an increasing interest in terahertz imaging of biologically related applications within the last few years and more and more terahertz spectra are being reported. This article highlights terahertz technology and provides a short review of recent advances in terahertz imaging.