Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy workshop
This May, physical chemistry laboratory led by Dr. Veinardi Suendo gained the trust of ADVANTEST Singapore and PT Tridaya Setya Manunggal to experience terahertz (THz) spectrometer. To introduce this technology to ITB academicians, we presented a one day THz spectroscopy workshop with expert instructor from Singapore, Dr. Shang Yang. It is planned that this instrument will be lent to ITB for about 2 months. Dr. Shang Yang from ADVANTEST Singapore explained that terahertz waves, which possess an energy level between that of radio waves and light waves, are capable of acquiring fingerprint spectrum from organic compounds as well as inorganic compounds based on molecular interactions in the THz frequency range.
THz spectroscopy provides non-destructive analysis of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, industrial products, materials for advanced communication and other substances. Three analysis modes (transmission, reflectance, and ATR) are available here. Thus, a wide variety of materials i.e. solid, powder, and liquid, are able to be analyzed from 0.1 to 4 THz waves.
This technology can be applied for many things. Some of them are characterization on crystalline pharmaceuticals as THz spectroscopy is ideals for characterizing crystal polymorphs. Furthermore, we also analysed some emulsions to identify the micelle and their dynamics, some semiconductors to study the relationship of their physical and optical properties, some thin films on silicon, and qualitative analysis of organometallics.
