#16 - Terahertz (THz) Electronics for Astrophysics Research (Part 1) with Justin Mathewson & Jonathan Hoh

Scientists can gain a great deal of insight into how our universe began and its current state by measuring signals in the THz spectrum, which includes frequencies on the order of 1011 - 1013 Hz. The THz spectrum gives us information on the composition of interstellar gasses, the detection of water on other planetary bodies, and other dynamic processes in planetary atmospheres, such as radiation balance, changes in our ozone, and volcanic activity within our solar system. The science you can do with these higher frequencies is pretty powerful, but making this possible requires highly precise instrumentation that can collect data as accurately as possible so that we can learn as much as possible with the information we gather. Today’s episode will cover low noise amplifiers. As a telescope looks into the cosmic background, amplifiers boost the incoming signal to make it clear and distinguishable from noise. In today’s episode, I chat with Justin Mathewson and Jonathan Hoh about their work in ASU’s THz Lab, the scientific studies that result from it, and the antics that ensue along the way. Their work is centered on the THz electronics which aid in processing the signals on both balloon borne and ground based space telescopes such as GUSTO, the Terahertz Intensity Mapper (TIM), Simon’s Observatory, and the Large Millimeter Telescope developed by Toltec, all of which are aimed at studying the formation and evolution of stars and other properties of our galaxy in various ways.