Molecules of conventional and biological weapons have a characteristic absorption spectrum in the terahertz band that allows for spectroscopic fingerprinting. Because terahertz radiation can penetrate paper, clothes, and luggage, it can be used as means to detect terror material in envelopes and packages and can become useful for airport security. The compact THz source considered here has dimensions typically smaller than the wavelength of the radiated light. Thus, there exists the possibility of intrinsically coherent radiation due to the natural spatial bunching of the electrons. Besides being compact, other possible payoffs include an efficient DC to THz conversion at room temperature and the possibility of wideband interconnects due to MEMS processing. In an array of micromagnetrons, each separated by less than half wavelength, beam directionality can also be expected. Finally, because the maximum power output at a given frequency is determined by the geometry (aspect ratio), a broadband pulse can be shaped accordingly. The proposed design can become a readily available intense source of THz radiation for Improvised Explosive Device detection, as well as imaging and communication applications.
