Biomedical Terahertz Systems

生物医学太赫兹系统

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04022
• 负责人: Collier, Christopher
• 金额: $ 1.75万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=679568
• 关键词: Biomedical; Terahertz; Systems

One quarter of Canadians die from cancer, being 80,000 Canadian deaths in 2015, and skin cancer is especially prevalent. In fact, skin cancer has a rate of occurrence equal to that of all other cancers combined. As early detection dramatically increases survival, there exists a longstanding need for quick, reliable, and widespread skin cancer detection.***Recent advances in skin cancer detection have appeared through spectroscopy with near-infrared wavelengths. Unfortunately, these wavelengths struggle to probe subdermally and to distinguish benign and malignant lesions. However, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is ideally suited to skin cancer detection. It can probe subdermally, from its deep THz penetration, and identify malignant lesions, from its high THz sensitivity to moisture. However, there are many challenges with oncological THz systems under development. These systems are prohibitively expensive, are much too large for widespread clinical use, and have long data acquisition times which are ineffective for in-vivo scanning of skin. These systems use conventional THz emitters, which require expensive and bulky titanium-sapphire lasers, and use conventional THz detectors, which operate through slow measurement techniques.***The proposed work will develop oncological THz systems possessing the required functionality for skin cancer detection and diagnostics. This functionality will be achieved by addressing key issues related to THz emission and detection. Terahertz emitters will be developed that are compatible with inexpensive and compact erbium-doped fibre lasers (for inexpensive and compact oncological THz systems). Terahertz detectors will be developed that utilize a novel technique for short data acquisition times.***The proposed work will use results from several pilot studies previously completed by the applicant. These pilot studies developed a photonic nanojet lensing technique which will enable the required compatibility between photoconductive THz emitters and erbium-doped fibre lasers. These pilot studies also developed a phase mask technique which will enable the creation of THz detectors with the short data acquisition times required for skin cancer diagnostics. Prototypes of the oncological THz systems will be developed as this technology is moved towards commercialization and widespread availability/impact. The developing oncological THz systems have great medical and commercial potential.

四分之一的加拿大人死于癌症，2015 年加拿大有 80,000 人死亡，其中皮肤癌尤其普遍。事实上，皮肤癌的发生率等于所有其他癌症的发生率总和。由于早期检测可显着提高生存率，因此长期以来一直需要快速、可靠且广泛的皮肤癌检测。***皮肤癌检测的最新进展是通过近红外波长的光谱技术实现的。不幸的是，这些波长很难探测皮下并区分良性和恶性病变。然而，太赫兹 (THz) 光谱非常适合皮肤癌检测。它可以通过太赫兹的深层穿透进行皮下探测，并通过其对湿度的高太赫兹敏感性来识别恶性病变。然而，正在开发的肿瘤太赫兹系统面临许多挑战。这些系统非常昂贵，对于广泛的临床使用来说太大，并且数据采集时间长，这对于皮肤的体内扫描是无效的。这些系统使用传统的太赫兹发射器，需要昂贵且笨重的钛蓝宝石激光器，并使用传统的太赫兹探测器，通过缓慢的测量技术进行操作。***拟议的工作将开发具有皮肤癌检测和检测所需功能的肿瘤太赫兹系统。诊断。该功能将通过解决与太赫兹发射和检测相关的关键问题来实现。将开发与廉价且紧凑的掺铒光纤激光器（用于廉价且紧凑的肿瘤太赫兹系统）兼容的太赫兹发射器。将开发利用新技术来缩短数据采集时间的太赫兹探测器。***拟议的工作将使用申请人先前完成的几项试点研究的结果。这些试点研究开发了一种光子纳米喷射透镜技术，该技术将使光电导太赫兹发射器和掺铒光纤激光器之间实现所需的兼容性。这些试点研究还开发了一种相位掩模技术，该技术将能够创建具有皮肤癌诊断所需的较短数据采集时间的太赫兹探测器。随着该技术走向商业化和广泛可用性/影响，肿瘤太赫兹系统的原型将得到开发。正在发展的肿瘤太赫兹系统具有巨大的医疗和商业潜力。