Researchers have built the world's most powerful terahertz laser chip. The new laser chip has exceeded a 1 Watt output power from a quantum cascade terahertz laser. The new record more than doubles landmarks set last year. Terahertz waves, which lie in the part of the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwaves, can penetrate materials that block visible light and have a wide range of possible uses including chemical analysis, security scanning, medical imaging, and telecommunications. Widely publicised potential applications include monitoring pharmaceutical products, the remote sensing of chemical signatures of explosives in unopened envelopes, and the non-invasive detection of cancers in the human body.

Source: World's most powerful terahertz laser chip