Germanium THz lasers and THz spectrometers

We have set-up several far-infrared and THz spectrometers at the Ruhr-University Bochum: 1. high power spectrometer consisting of a germanium THz laser and a grating to deliver tuneable THz radiation, 2. high temporal resolution spectrometer using time-domain spectroscopy based on LTG-GaAs and ZnTe pumped by 20 fs Ti:Sa laser, 3. wide spectral response far-infrared Fourier-transform spectrometer. We present some results using these spectrometers for spectroscopy and imaging, focusing on applications in biochemistry. Potential new THz sources based on room temperature laser diodes are briefly discussed.