Patent ID: 8415625
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A total reflection terahertz wave measuring apparatus comprising: a light source for outputting light; a branching part for branching the light output from the light source into two components, to output one component of the light branched into the two components as pump light and the other component as probe light; a terahertz wave generating element containing a nonlinear optical crystal that generates and outputs a terahertz wave by allowing the pump light output from the branching part to be input thereto; an internal total reflection prism that inputs the terahertz wave output from the terahertz wave generating element to an entrance surface, and allows the input terahertz wave to be propagated internally and totally reflected by a reflection surface, and outputs the terahertz wave from an exit surface to the outside; a filter which is provided between the terahertz wave generating element and the entrance surface of the internal total reflection prism, that allows the terahertz wave output from the terahertz wave generating element to be transmitted therethrough to the internal total reflection prism, and blocks the pump light transmitted through the terahertz wave generating element to be output from the terahertz wave generating element; and a terahertz wave detecting element that allows the terahertz wave output from the exit surface of the internal total reflection prism and the probe light output from the branching part to be input thereto, to detect a correlation between the terahertz wave and the probe light, wherein the terahertz wave generating element and the filter are provided to be integrated with the entrance surface of the internal total reflection prism, the terahertz wave detecting element is provided to be integrated with the exit surface of the internal total reflection prism, and information on a measuring object disposed on the reflection surface of the internal total reflection prism is acquired on the basis of an evanescent component of the terahertz wave generated at the time of total reflection of the terahertz wave, wherein the internal total reflection prism has, in addition to the entrance surface, the reflection surface, and the exit surface, a first secondary reflection surface that reflects the terahertz wave input to the entrance surface to be propagated internally toward the reflection surface, and a second secondary reflection surface that reflects the terahertz wave reflected by the reflection surface to be propagated internally toward the exit surface, and an optical element yielding a light-condensing effect for the terahertz wave propagated inside the internal total reflection prism is formed on the second secondary reflection surface on the side of the exit surface of the internal total reflection prism.