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For their ability to be transmitted by materials opaque in the visible and IR ranges (clothes, plastic, …), for being non-ionizing, for providing sub-mm resolution imaging, for the specific signatures of numerous materials, Terahertz waves - ranging from 200 GHz to 10 THz - have been raising the interest of industrials for about fifteen years.
This study focuses on the penetration of THz technologies into the industrial applications driving the THz market growth at short and long term: Non Destructive testing (NDT), Defense and Security, Biomedical. For 15 years, Terahertz technologies have been continuously tested on a wide variety of applications. Thanks to these ongoing feasibility studies, manufacturers and end-users gained a deeper knowledge about the abilities and the limitations of the different Terahertz systems (Time-Domain spectroscopy, Frequency-Domain spectroscopy, Time-Domain reflectometry, etc). The demand from end-users is more qualified and is segmented as follows:
1. Detection of objects and defects on large areas
2. Thickness measurement on large areas
3. Chemical and Structural characterization of small objects and defects on small areas (2D) or volumes (3D)
Each of these 3 functions leads to a specific family of THz systems with distinct requirements in terms of performance and cost:
1. Detection: cheap and compact imaging systems.
2. Thickness measurement: cost-effective and high speed systems.
3. Characterization: high resolution, high reliability and real-time sensing systems.
This article will present the existing and incoming THz systems and components addressing each function. Terahertz technologies are currently finding their place on the market, outside research and scientific applications. The objective of this article is to identify the industrial applications where THz techniques will be adopted and to provide market growth perspectives.
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