TERA

Terahertz radiation (1 THz = 33 cm-1 = 4 meV = 300 μm = 48 K = 1 ps) represents a cutting-edge scientific and technological tool in various physics fields of interest to INFN. These range from new particle acceleration techniques (from acceleration to their diagnostics), to medical physics, to detectors for dark matter, to opto-electronic devices for manipulating the properties of radiation (phase, amplitude, polarization), to innovative materials.

The TERA (Terahertz ERA) project is based on the development of a THz laser source with unique characteristics (high intensity, associated electric field 10-50 MV/cm; short duration 50 fs, high rep rate 1 KHz, polarization modular, beam-shaping), and which was assembled in a dedicated laboratory at the Department of Physics of La Sapienza.

Various researches will be developed around this source, in synergy with the participating sections (LNF, Turin, Naples) and the other research institutes (La Sapienza, CNR, IIT):
– acceleration techniques
– detectors
– innovative materials
– devices to control the properties of THz radiation.

The Frascati National Laboratories participate in the project with two activities:

• WP2: study of the dynamics of the electron beam in THz accelerating structures for the optimization of acceleration processes from single-stage to multistage linac; start-to-end simulations to demonstrate the acceleration of high brilliance electron beams such as to drive a free electron laser (FEL) (Resp. E. Chiadroni);
• WP3: development of detectors with superconductive, passive and tunable metamaterials; spectroscopic characterization in intensity, polarization and electric field; development of superconducting detectors; spectroscopic characterization in intensity, polarization and electric field (Resp. A Marcelli).