OPTHER (Optically Driven Terahertz Amplifiers) is a project that has the aim to develop new vacuum devices for amplification of T-rays (Terahertz frequencies). These devices will make possible sophisticated applications with a huge potential in different fields such as aerospace, security, medical applications, diagnostics for art conservation. It is well known in fact that there is for THz radiation, the lack of compact, cheap, powerful and efficient THz sources.

This project undertakes to overcome those limiting factors by solving the power/size limitation of THz sources innovatively combining available optical THz sources (such as Quantum Cascade Lasers (QCL) or photo mixing systems) and developing a compact, efficient and reliable novel vacuum THz amplifier to boost the overall performance. Micromachining and nanotechnologies are extensively applied in the novel THz amplifier design and realization in terms of field emitting carbon nanotubes (CNT) used as cold cathodes and interaction structures working in the THz region.

OPTHER is a 3 year project (1^st April 2008 - 31^st March 2011) funded by the European Union for a total of 2,449,847 euros for three years. The overall cost of the project is 4,100,285 Euros.

The partners involved in the project are : University Rome "Tor Vergata", coordinator of the project -ITaly , the Technical University of Denmark, the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) - France, SELEX-Integrated Systems - Italy, Thales Research & Technologies and Thales Electron Devices - France.