Current Status of Oxide Dielectric Materials for Terahertz Applications-An Overview

Terahertz electromagnetic radiation, its generation, detection and material interaction is an emerging field of study. Diverse range of researches is going on to explore and understand this frequency range and its potential applications. Situated between microwave and optical frequency domain, THz radiation is non-responding to the techniques commonly used for these two domains, thus insufficiency of supporting technology, high atmospheric absorption, lack of high power source have kept this spectrum away from technical and commercial interest for a long time. Advancements in Photonics like high power ultrafast lasing devices, high-power THz generation by means of nonlinear effects, band-engineered hetero-structures have greatly extended its potential. In order to explore all its merits and realize it as a full-fledged functional frontier, more high power sources, more sensitive sensors and efficient waveguides need to be developed. In order to achieve that, the main focus of the research world has moved towards the study of various classes of materials so that they can be categorized based on the applications they can be used for. In this overview article, recent studies on THz dielectric material interaction, their observations, outcomes and their prospect have been presented in a condensed manner so that the information can be used for further developments in this frequency regime.