Identifying the Intermediate Free-Carrier Dynamics Across the Charge Separation in Monolayer MoS2/ReSe2 Heterostructures

Van der Waals heterostructures composed of different two-dimensional films offer a unique platform for engineering and promoting photoelectric performances, which highly demands the understanding of photocarrier dynamics. Herein, large-scale vertically stacked heterostructures with MoS₂ and ReSe₂ monolayers are fabricated. Correspondingly, the carrier dynamics have been thoroughly investigated using different ultrafast spectroscopies, including Terahertz (THz) emission spectroscopy, time-resolved THz spectroscopy (TRTS), and near-infrared optical pump-probe spectroscopy (OPPS), providing complementary dynamic information for the out-of-plane charge separation and in-plane charge transport at different stages. The initial charge transfer (CT) within the first 170 fs, generating a transient directional current, is directly demonstrated by the THz emissions. Furthermore, the TRTS explicitly unveils an intermediate free-carrier relaxation pathway, featuring a pronounced augmentation of THz photoconductivity compared to the isolated ReSe₂ layer, which likely contains the evolution from immigrant hot charged free carriers to bounded interlayer excitons (∼0.7 ps) and the surface defect trapping (∼13 ps). In addition, the OPPS reveals a distinct enhancement in the saturable absorption along with long-lived dynamics (∼365 ps), which originated from the CT and interlayer exciton recombination. Our work provides comprehensive insight into the photocarrier dynamics across the charge separation and will help with the development of optoelectronic devices based on ReSe₂-MoS₂ heterostructures.

Interface-Dominated Topological Transport in Nanograined Bulk Bi2 Te3

3D topological insulators (TI) host surface carriers with extremely high mobility. However, their transport properties are typically dominated by bulk carriers that outnumber the surface carriers by orders of magnitude. A strategy is herein presented to overcome the problem of bulk carrier domination by using 3D TI nanoparticles, which are compacted by hot pressing to macroscopic nanograined bulk samples. Bi₂ Te₃ nanoparticles well known for their excellent thermoelectric and 3D TI properties serve as the model system. As key enabler for this approach, a specific synthesis is applied that creates nanoparticles with a low level of impurities and surface contamination. The compacted nanograined bulk contains a high number of interfaces and grain boundaries. Here it is shown that these samples exhibit metallic-like electrical transport properties and a distinct weak antilocalization. A downward trend in the electrical resistivity at temperatures below 5 K is attributed to an increase in the coherence length by applying the Hikami-Larkin-Nagaoka model. THz time-domain spectroscopy reveals a dominance of the surface transport at low frequencies with a mobility of above 10³ cm² V^-1 s^-1 even at room temperature. These findings clearly demonstrate that nanograined bulk Bi₂ Te₃ features surface carrier properties that are of importance for technical applications.

Sintering, Microstructure, and Dielectric Properties of Copper Borates for High Frequency LTCC Applications

New ceramic materials based on two copper borates, CuB₂O₄ and Cu₃B₂O₆, were prepared via solid state synthesis and sintering, and characterized as promising candidates for low dielectric permittivity substrates for very high frequency circuits. The sintering behavior, composition, microstructure, and dielectric properties of the ceramics were investigated using a heating microscope, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and terahertz time domain spectroscopy. The studies revealed a low dielectric permittivity of 5.1–6.7 and low dielectric loss in the frequency range 0.14–0.7 THz. The copper borate-based materials, owing to a low sintering temperature of 900–960 °C, are suitable for LTCC (low temperature cofired ceramics) applications.

Determination of the Geographical Origin of Coffee Beans Using Terahertz Spectroscopy Combined With Machine Learning Methods

Different geographical origins can lead to great variance in coffee quality, taste, and commercial value. Hence, controlling the authenticity of the origin of coffee beans is of great importance for producers and consumers worldwide. In this study, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, combined with machine learning methods, was investigated as a fast and non-destructive method to classify the geographic origin of coffee beans, comparing it with the popular machine learning methods, including convolutional neural network (CNN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and support vector machine (SVM) to obtain the best model. The curse of dimensionality will cause some classification methods which are struggling to train effective models. Thus, principal component analysis (PCA) and genetic algorithm (GA) were applied for LDA and SVM to create a smaller set of features. The first nine principal components (PCs) with an accumulative contribution rate of 99.9% extracted by PCA and 21 variables selected by GA were the inputs of LDA and SVM models. The results demonstrate that the excellent classification (accuracy was 90% in a prediction set) could be achieved using a CNN method. The results also indicate variable selecting as an important step to create an accurate and robust discrimination model. The performances of LDA and SVM algorithms could be improved with spectral features extracted by PCA and GA. The GA-SVM has achieved 75% accuracy in a prediction set, while the SVM and PCA-SVM have achieved 50 and 65% accuracy, respectively. These results demonstrate that THz spectroscopy, together with machine learning methods, is an effective and satisfactory approach for classifying geographical origins of coffee beans, suggesting the techniques to tap the potential application of deep learning in the authenticity of agricultural products while expanding the application of THz spectroscopy.

Crystal Structure-Free Method for Dielectric and Polarizability Characterization of Crystalline Materials at Terahertz Frequencies

Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy provides a direct and nondestructive method for measuring the dielectric properties of materials directly from the phase delay of coherent electromagnetic radiation propagating through the sample. In cases when crystals are embedded within an inert polymeric pellet, the Landau, Lifshitz, and Looyenga (LLL) effective medium model can be used to extract the intrinsic dielectric constant of the crystalline sample. Subsequently, polarizability can be obtained from the Clausius-Mossotti (CM) relationship. Knowledge of the crystal structure density is required for an analytical solution to the LLL and CM relationships. A novel crystal structure-free graphical method is presented as a way to estimate both dielectric constants and polarizability values for the situation when the crystal structure density is unknown, and the crystals are embedded within a pellet composed of a non-porous polymer. The utility of this crystal structure-free method is demonstrated by analyzing THz time-domain spectra collected for a set of amino acids (L-alanine, L-threonine, and L-glutamine) embedded within pellets composed of polytetrafluoroethylene. Crystal structures are known for each amino acid, thereby enabling a direct comparison of results using the analytical solution and the proposed crystal structure-free graphical method. For each amino acid, the intrinsic dielectric constant is extracted through the LLL effective medium model without using information of their crystal structure densities. THz polarizabilities are then calculated with the CM relationship by using the determined intrinsic dielectric constant for each amino acid coupled with its crystal density as determined graphically. Comparison between the analytical and graphical solutions reveal relative differences between dielectric constants of 3.7, 5.1, and 13.6% for threonine, alanine, and glutamine, respectively, and relative differences between polarizability of 0.6, 0.9, and 5.4%, respectively. These values were determined over the 10-20 cm^-1 THz frequency range. The proposed method requires no prior knowledge of crystal structure information.

Probing Local Electrostatics of Glycine in Aqueous Solution by THz Spectroscopy

Based upon precise terahertz (THz) measurements of the solvated amino acid glycine and accompanying ab-initio molecular-dynamics simulations, we show that the N-C-C-O open/close mode at 315 cm-1 serves as a sensitive, label-free probe for the local protonation of the amide group. Experimentally, we can show that this holds not only for glycine but also for diglycine and valine. The approach is more general, since the changes due to protonation result in intensity changes which can be probed by THz time domain (0-50 cm-1 ) as well as by precise THz-FT spectroscopy (50-400 cm-1 ). A detailed analysis allows us to directly correlate the titration spectra with pKa values. This demonstrates the potential of THz spectroscopy to probe the charge state of a natural amino acid in water in a label-free manner.

THz Spectroscopy as a Versatile Tool for Filler Distribution Diagnostics in Polymer Nanocomposites

Polymer composites containing nanocarbon fillers are under intensive investigation worldwide due to their remarkable electromagnetic properties distinguished not only by components as such, but the distribution and interaction of the fillers inside the polymer matrix. The theory herein reveals that a particular effect connected with the homogeneity of a composite manifests itself in the terahertz range. Transmission time-domain terahertz spectroscopy was applied to the investigation of nanocomposites obtained by co-extrusion of PLA polymer with additions of graphene nanoplatelets and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. The THz peak of permittivity's imaginary part predicted by the applied model was experimentally shown for GNP-containing composites both below and above the percolation threshold. The physical nature of the peak was explained by the impact on filler particles excluded from the percolation network due to the peculiarities of filler distribution. Terahertz spectroscopy as a versatile instrument of filler distribution diagnostics is discussed.

An isolated water droplet in the aqueous solution of a supramolecular tetrahedral cage

Water under nanoconfinement at ambient conditions has exhibited low-dimensional ice formation and liquid-solid phase transitions, but with structural and dynamical signatures that map onto known regions of water's phase diagram. Using terahertz (THz) absorption spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics, we have investigated the ambient water confined in a supramolecular tetrahedral assembly, and determined that a dynamically distinct network of 9 ± 1 water molecules is present within the nanocavity of the host. The low-frequency absorption spectrum and theoretical analysis of the water in the Ga₄L₆ ^12- host demonstrate that the structure and dynamics of the encapsulated droplet is distinct from any known phase of water. A further inference is that the release of the highly unusual encapsulated water droplet creates a strong thermodynamic driver for the high-affinity binding of guests in aqueous solution for the Ga₄L₆ ^12- supramolecular construct.

Design of a Multipurpose Photonic Chip Architecture for THz Dual-Comb Spectrometers

In this work, we present a multipurpose photonic integrated circuit capable of generating multiheterodyne complex Dual-Combs (DC) THz signals. Our work focuses on translating the functionality of an electro-optic tunable DC system into a photonic chip employing standard building blocks to ensure the scalability and cost efficiency of the integrated device. The architecture we analyze for integration is based on three stages: a seed comb, a mode selection stage and a DC stage. This final DC stage includes a frequency shifter, a key element to improve the final detection of the THz signals and obtain real-time operation. This investigation covers three key aspects: (1) a solution for comb line selection on GHz spaced combs using OIL or OPLL on photonic chips is studied and evaluated, (2) a simple and versatile scheme to produce a frequency shift using the double sideband suppressed carrier modulation technique and an asymmetric Mach Zehnder Interferometer to filter one of the sidebands is proposed, and (3) a multipurpose architecture that can offer a versatile effective device, moving from application-specific PICs to general-purpose PICs. Using the building blocks (BBs) available from an InP-based foundry, we obtained simulations that offer a high-quality Dual-Comb frequency shifted signal with a side mode suppression ratio around 21 dB, and 41 dB after photodetection with an intermediate frequency of 1 MHz. We tested our system to generate a Dual-Comb with 10 kHz of frequency spacing and an OOK modulation with 5 Gbps which can be down-converted to the THz range by a square law detector. It is also important to note that the presented architecture is multipurpose and can also be applied to THz communications. This design is a step to enable a commercial THz photonic chip for multiple applications such as THz spectroscopy, THz multispectral imaging and THz telecommunications and offers the possibility of being fabricated in a multi-project wafer.

Nucleation and Growth Bottleneck in the Conductivity Recovery Dynamics of Nickelate Ultrathin Films

We investigate THz conductivity dynamics in NdNiO₃ and EuNiO₃ ultrathin films (15 unit cells, u.c., ∼5.7 nm thick) following a photoinduced thermal quench into the metallic state and reveal a clear contrast between first- and second-order dynamics. While in EuNiO₃ the conductivity recovers exponentially, in NdNiO₃ the recovery is nonexponential and slower than a simple thermal model. Crucially, it is consistent with first-order dynamics and well-described by a 2d Avrami model, with supercooling leading to metastable phase coexistence on the nano- to mesoscopic scale. This novel observation is a fundamentally dynamic manifestation of the first-order character of the insulator-to-metal transition, which the nanoscale thickness of our films and their fast cooling rate enable us to detect. The large transients seen in our films are promising for fast electronic (and magnetic) switching applications.

Terahertz spectroscopy technology as an innovative technique for food: Current state-of-the-Art research advances

With the dramatic development of source and detector components, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy technology has recently shown a renaissance in various fields such as medical, material, biosensing and pharmaceutical industry. As a rapid and noninvasive technology, it has been extensively exploited to evaluate food quality and ensure food safety. In this review, the principles and processes of THz spectroscopy are first discussed. The current state-of-the-art applications of THz and imaging technologies focused on foodstuffs are then discussed. The advantages and challenges are also covered. This review offers detailed information for recent efforts dedicated to THz for monitoring the quality and safety of various food commodities and the feasibility of its widespread application. THz technology, as an emerging and unique method, is potentially applied for detecting food processing and maintaining quality and safety.

Experimental Observation of Strong Exciton Effects in Graphene Nanoribbons

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) with atomically precise width and edge structures are a promising class of nanomaterials for optoelectronics, thanks to their semiconducting nature and high mobility of charge carriers. Understanding the fundamental static optical properties and ultrafast dynamics of charge carrier generation in GNRs is essential for optoelectronic applications. Combining THz spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, we report a strong exciton effect with binding energy up to ∼700 meV in liquid-phase-dispersed GNRs with a width of 1.7 nm and an optical band gap of ∼1.6 eV, illustrating the intrinsically strong Coulomb interactions between photogenerated electrons and holes. By tracking the exciton dynamics, we reveal an ultrafast formation of excitons in GNRs with a long lifetime over 100 ps. Our results not only reveal fundamental aspects of excitons in GNRs (strong binding energy and ultrafast exciton formation etc.) but also highlight promising properties of GNRs for optoelectronic devices.

Polarization of Magnetoplasmons in Grating Metamaterials Based on CdTe/CdMgTe Quantum Wells

Grating metamaterials were fabricated with electron beam lithography on CdTe/CdMgTe modulation doped structures with two non-interacting quantum wells. Two types of samples were studied: with etched gratings and with gratings formed by deposition of Au stripes. The polarization properties at THz frequencies of the gratings were determined at room temperature. It was shown that Au gratings formed a linear polarizer, while etched gratings did not polarize THz radiation. Transmission of circularly polarized THz radiation at low temperatures through a sample with no grating showed a strongly circularly polarized cyclotron resonance transition. Transmission of this radiation through a sample with an etched grating showed a magnetoplasmon transition that was almost perfectly linearly polarized. We concluded that magnetoplasmons in metamaterials with etched gratings are linearly polarized excitations, possibly with a small contribution of a circular component. This work opens the possibility of the detailed study of the polarization of magnetoplasmons, which has not been explored in the past.

Composition-Dependent Passivation Efficiency at the CdS/CuIn1- x Gax Se2 Interface

The bandgap of CuIn_{1- x} Ga_x Se₂ (CIGS) chalcopyrite semiconductors can be tuned between ≈1.0 and ≈1.7 eV for Ga contents ranging between x = 0 and x = 1. While an optimum bandgap of 1.34 eV is desirable for achieving maximum solar energy conversion in solar cells, state-of-the-art CIGS-based devices experience a drop in efficiency for Ga contents x > 0.3 (i.e., for bandgaps >1.2 eV), an aspect that is limiting the full potential of these devices. The mechanism underlying the limited performance as a function of CIGS composition has remained elusive: both surface and bulk recombination effects are proposed. Here, the disentanglement between surface and bulk effects in CIGS absorbers as a function of Ga content is achieved by comparing photogenerated charge carrier dynamics in air/CIGS and surface-passivated ZnO/CdS/CIGS samples. While surface passivation prevents surface recombination of charge carriers for low Ga content (x < 0.3; up to 1.2 eV bandgap), surface recombination dominates for higher-bandgap materials. The results thus demonstrate that surface, rather than bulk effects, is responsible for the drop in efficiency for Ga contents larger than x ≈ 0.3.

Vibrational analysis and physical property studies of 6-Methoxy-2-[(E)-phenyliminomethyl]-phenol in the THz, IR and UV-visible spectral regions

Bulk single crystals of 6-Methoxy-2-[(E)-phenyliminomethyl]phenol were grown after preparing the material by Schiff base condensation of ortho-vanillin alternatively called 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and aniline. The three dimensional molecular and crystal structure of the title compound is confirmed by X-ray diffraction. Molecules crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system and noncentrosymmetric space group P2₁2₁2₁. Geometry optimization, vibrational analysis, Calculation of HOMO-LUMO band gap and molecular hyperpolarizability of the proposed material have been carried out. Terahertz time domain spectroscopic studies have been performed and the refractive index and absorption coefficient of material is calculated in the THz regime. Molecular vibrations responsible for different THz phonon modes are identified with the help of density functional theory based calculations.

The effects of sample conductivity on the efficacy of dynamic nuclear polarization for sensitivity enhancement in solid state NMR spectroscopy

In recent years dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) has greatly expanded the range of materials systems that can be studied by solid state NMR spectroscopy. To date, the majority of systems studied by DNP were insulating materials including organic and inorganic solids. However, many technologically-relevant materials used in energy conversion and storage systems are electrically conductive to some extent or are employed as composites containing conductive additives. Such materials introduce challenges in their study by DNP-NMR which include microwave absorption and sample heating that were not thoroughly investigated so far. Here we examine several commercial carbon allotropes, commonly employed as electrodes or conductive additives, and consider their effect on the extent of solvent polarization achieved in DNP from nitroxide biradicals. We then address the effect of sample conductivity systematically by studying a series of carbons with increasing electrical conductivity prepared via glucose carbonization. THz spectroscopy measurements are used to determine the extent of μw absorption. Our results show that while the DNP performance significantly drops in samples containing the highly conductive carbons, sufficient signal enhancement can still be achieved with some compromise on conductivity. Furthermore, we show that the deleterious effect of conductive additives on DNP enhancements can be partially overcome through pulse-DNP experiments.

Noninvasive Electromagnetic Wave Sensing of Glucose

Diabetic patients need long-term and frequent glucose monitoring to assist in insulin intake. The current finger-prick devices are painful and costly, which places noninvasive glucose sensors in high demand. In this review paper, we list several advanced electromagnetic (EM)-wave-based technologies for noninvasive glucose measurement, including infrared (IR) spectroscopy, photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence, optical coherence tomography (OCT), Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, and microwave sensing. The development of each method is discussed regarding the fundamental principle, system setup, and experimental results. Despite the promising achievements that have been previously reported, no established product has obtained FDA approval or survived a marketing test. The limitations of, and prospects for, these techniques are presented at the end of this review.

Polarizability of Aspirin at Terahertz Frequencies Using Terahertz Time Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS)

A novel application of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is described for the determination of permittivity and polarizability of organic crystals, as exemplified by measurements with the polymorph I form of crystalline aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). The coherent nature of the THz pulse experiment, coupled with gated-detection, permits direct measure of differences in the phase angle of the electric field vector after passing through a pellet composed of the aspirin crystals embedded within an inert polymer matrix. An effective media model is used to extract dielectric information for the crystals from the measured time-domain signal that is representative of the entire pellet composition. Polarizability is then obtained for these organic crystals by using the Clausius-Mossotti relationship. Dielectric spectra and polarizability spectra are presented over the 0.3-3 THz frequency range (10-100 cm^-1). The average polarizability values measured over the low frequency range (10-20 cm^-1) are 22.4 ± 0.3 and 22.4 ± 0.5 ų for aspirin crystals embedded within matrixes of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyethylene (PE), respectively.

Impact of nuclear quantum effects on the structural inhomogeneity of liquid water

The 2D Raman-terahertz (THz) response of liquid water is studied in dependence of temperature and isotope substitution ([Formula: see text]O, [Formula: see text]O, and [Formula: see text]O). In either case, a very short-lived (i.e., between 75 and 95 fs) echo is observed that reports on the inhomogeneity of the low-frequency intermolecular modes and hence, on the heterogeneity of the hydrogen bond networks of water. The echo lifetime slows down by about 20% when cooling the liquid from room temperature to the freezing point. Furthermore, the echo lifetime of [Formula: see text]O is [Formula: see text] slower than that of [Formula: see text]O, and both can be mapped on each other by introducing an effective temperature shift of [Formula: see text] K. In contrast, the temperature-dependent echo lifetimes of [Formula: see text]O and [Formula: see text]O are the same within error. [Formula: see text]O and [Formula: see text]O have identical masses, yet [Formula: see text]O is much closer to [Formula: see text]O in terms of nuclear quantum effects. It is, therefore, concluded that the echo is a measure of the structural inhomogeneity of liquid water induced by nuclear quantum effects.

Highly Sensitive Detection of 4-Methylimidazole Using a Terahertz Metamaterial

In this study, we demonstrated a highly sensitive detection method of 4-methylimidazole (4-MeI), a carcinogenic material, by using a terahertz (THz) metamaterial at a THz region. The THz metamaterials were fabricated with a metal array, using an electric-field-coupled inductor-capacitor (ELC) resonator structure, and a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation showed good agreement with the experimental results. We measured the THz spectra of the metamaterials to detect the 4-MeI concentrations of 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/L. The resonance frequency of the metamaterial was shifted by, approximately, 8 GHz and transmittance at the resonance frequency increased to 2 × 10⁻³, as the concentration was increased, up to 20 mg/L. Our study provides new insight into the application of metamaterials in detecting carcinogens, using a THz technique.

THz Spectroscopic Investigation of Wheat-Quality by Using Multi-Source Data Fusion

In order to improve the detection accuracy for the quality of wheat, a recognition method for wheat quality using the terahertz (THz) spectrum and multi-source information fusion technology is proposed. Through a combination of the absorption and the refractive index spectra of samples of normal, germinated, moldy, and worm-eaten wheat, support vector machine (SVM) and Dempster-Shafer (DS) evidence theory with different kernel functions were used to establish a classification fusion model for the multiple optical indexes of wheat. The results showed that the recognition rate of the fusion model for wheat samples can be as high as 96%. Furthermore, this approach was compared to the regression model based on single-spectrum analysis. The results indicate that the average recognition rates of fusion models for wheat can reach 90%, and the recognition rate of the SVM radial basis function (SVM-RBF) fusion model can reach 97.5%. The preliminary results indicated that THz-TDS combined with DS evidence theory analysis was suitable for the determination of the wheat quality with better detection accuracy.

Ion Hydration and Ion Pairing as Probed by THz Spectroscopy

Ion hydration is of pivotal importance for many fundamental processes. Various spectroscopic methods are used to study the retardation of the hydration bond dynamics in the vicinity of anions and cations. Here we introduce THz-FTIR spectroscopy as a powerful method to answer the open questions. We show through dissection of THz spectra that we can pinpoint characteristic absorption features that can be attributed to the rattling modes of strongly hydrating ions within their hydration cages as well as vibrationally induced charge fluctuations in the case of weakly hydrating ions. Further analysis yields information on anion-cation cooperativity, the size of the dynamic hydration shell, as well as the lifetimes of these collective ion-hydration water modes and their connecting thermal bath states. Our study provides evidence for a non-additive behavior, thus questioning the simplified Hofmeister model. THz spectroscopy enables ion pairing to be observed and quantified at a high salt concentration.

The Effects of Doping Density and Temperature on the Optoelectronic Properties of Formamidinium Tin Triiodide Thin Films

Optoelectronic properties are unraveled for formamidinium tin triiodide (FASnI₃ ) thin films, whose background hole doping density is varied through SnF₂ addition during film fabrication. Monomolecular charge-carrier recombination exhibits both a dopant-mediated part that grows linearly with hole doping density and remnant contributions that remain under tin-enriched processing conditions. At hole densities near 10²⁰ cm^-3 , a strong Burstein-Moss effect increases absorption onset energies by ≈300 meV beyond the bandgap energy of undoped FASnI₃ (shown to be 1.2 eV at 5 K and 1.35 eV at room temperature). At very high doping densities (10²⁰ cm^-3 ), temperature-dependent measurements indicate that the effective charge-carrier mobility is suppressed through scattering with ionized dopants. Once the background hole concentration is nearer 10¹⁹ cm^-3 and below, the charge-carrier mobility increases with decreasing temperature according to ≈T^-1.2 , suggesting that it is limited mostly by intrinsic interactions with lattice vibrations. For the lowest doping concentration of 7.2 × 10¹⁸ cm^-3 , charge-carrier mobilities reach a value of 67 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at room temperature and 470 cm² V^-1 s^-1 at 50 K. Intraexcitonic transitions observed in the THz-frequency photoconductivity spectra at 5 K reveal an exciton binding energy of only 3.1 meV for FASnI₃ , in agreement with the low bandgap energy exhibited by this perovskite.

Terahertz: dictating the frequency of life. Do macromolecular vibrational modes impose thermal limitations on terrestrial life?

Conditions on exoplanets include elevated temperatures and pressures. The response of carbon-based biological macromolecules to such conditions is then relevant to the viability of life. The capacity of proteins and ribozymes to catalyse reactions or bind receptors, and nucleic acids to convey information, depends on them sampling different conformational states. These are determined by macromolecular vibrational states, or phonon modes, accessible using terahertz (THz: 10¹²Hz) absorption spectroscopy. THz spectra of biological macromolecules exhibit broad absorption at approximately 6 THz (equating to approx. 280 K) corresponding to dense transitions between phonon modes. There are also troughs at approximately 10 THz (approx. 500 K) implying diminishing numbers of available conformational states at higher temperatures; hence, fewer routes by which biochemical processes can be realized, as equilibrium is approached. Could this conformational bottleneck hinder the operation of biological macromolecules at higher temperatures? We suggest that the troughs at approximately 10 THz in absorbance spectra indicate that the hydrogen bonds, charge interactions and geometry of biological macromolecules associated with terrestrial life impose fundamental vibrational properties that could limit the upper temperature at which they may function.

Determining the Humidity-Dependent Ortho-to- Para Ratio of Water Vapor at Room Temperature Using Terahertz Spectroscopy

The origin of the water spin isomers observed under various physico-chemical conditions is of great interest, including that of H₂O molecules in the gas phase. Here, terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) was used to study the humidity-dependent ortho-to- para (O/P) ratio of water vapor at room temperature. The relative contents of para and ortho molecules were obtained by fitting the absorption lines of water vapor showing the relationship between the spin isomer contents and humidity. Larger O/P ratios with values of ∼3.2 were observed at lower humidity (<20%) due to the stronger attractive forces of para molecules. The concentration of the ortho isomers then began to decrease at higher humidity (>20%) due to the preferential formation of dimers and clusters at increasing concentrations. Thus, the ratio gradually decreased with increasing humidity.