Sirius’ first line of Phase 2 will be the first in the world to perform nanospectroscopy in this energy range in a fourth-generation machine
The arrival of the terahertz beam at the experimental station of the Tatu beamline, at Sirius, marks the beginning of its commissioning stage. Tatu is part of a package of ten new lines planned for Phase 2 of Sirius. It is the first line in the world specifically designed to operate in the terahertz band in a fourth-generation machine.
A new window to investigate the matter
The Tatu line was designed to explore the terahertz range, a region of the electromagnetic spectrum associated with low-energy excitations and still not very accessible experimentally. In this range, it is possible to investigate everything from vibrations of heavier molecules to rotational modes and collective phenomena in materials, paving the way for studies that cannot be carried out with higher energy radiation
One of Tatu’s main differentials is in the combination of this radiation and nanospectroscopy techniques. By means of a method based on probes for atomic force microscopy, the radiation is confined in volumes of the order of tens of nanometers, allowing the analysis of structures much smaller than the wavelength used. “We can produce a probe a few nanometers wide and study objects much smaller than the wavelength of the radiation,” explains Raul Freitas, coordinator of the Imbuia and Tatu beamlines.
This capability opens up prospects for the study of quantum materials, such as superconductors and topological insulators, as well as nanophotonic systems and a variety of two-dimensional materials. There is also potential for applications in areas such as telecommunications and data processing, especially in the development of devices that use light, rather than electrons, to transmit information.
In addition to materials science, Tatu will be able to contribute to investigations in biological systems. The terahertz range allows access to fundamental information about the structure of biomolecules, expanding the set of tools available for studies in the area.
Read more on the CNPEM website
Image: Interior of the Tatu beamline
Credit: CNPEM