The impact of surface texture on THz applications

The terahertz band (0.3 - 3 THz) is gaining traction for communication and imaging applications. The reason for communication is the vast unlicensed spectrum it offers with high theoretical data rates, while the interest in imaging stems from its mm spatial resolution, penetration through many opaque materials and sensitivity to water. <br/>While laboratory experiments have revealed the benefits of THz technology, a challenge that is usually overlooked, surface scattering, must be considered before practical systems can be deployed/employed in realistic settings. Any common structure/object has a surface roughness of tens to hundreds of microns. Even the surface finish of volumetric THz devices fabricated with highly specialized techniques leads to micron scale roughness. This range of roughness is not negligible compared to THz wavelengths and has an impact on the performance of devices and systems. Hence, the contribution will discuss the impact of surface scattering in few case studies.