Sandia National Laboratories has continued work on devices for scanning for hazardous and toxic materials hidden in packaging and clothing and is on track for completion of the Terahertz Microelectronics Transceiver Grand Challenge.
These tiny lasers are semiconductor sources of terahertz radiation capable of output powers in excess of 100 mW. Previously, such powers could only be obtained by molecular gas lasers occupying cubic meters and weighing more than 100 kg, or free electron lasers weighing tons and occupying entire buildings.
