Scientists from the Yu.A. Osipyan Institute of Solid State Physics of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Chernogolovka, the A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, and the Moscow Center for Advanced Studies have created compact waveguides for low-loss terahertz radiation transmission. Radiation in this range is safe for living organisms but sensitive to water content in tissues, which allows for clear differentiation between healthy cells and malignant tumors directly during surgical intervention.
The waveguide is based on a hollow sapphire tube grown by the Stepanov method at the Institute of Solid State Physics. Its inner diameter is about 6 millimeters, and the wall thickness is 0.7 millimeters. Sapphire hardly absorbs terahertz radiation, is resistant to chemicals and biological fluids, and can withstand heating up to 2000 degrees. This allows the instrument to be sterilized in an autoclave or boiling water without risk of damage.
The researchers manufactured two variants of waveguides: with a plastic shell (partially reflects waves inward) and with a copper coating (completely retains the signal, reducing losses by almost half). Based on the copper variant, a functional 5-centimeter endoscope was assembled for examining hard-to-reach tissues – cartilage, teeth, or tumors in real time.
In addition to medicine, waveguides will be useful for non-destructive testing of aircraft parts, rocket engines, and nuclear reactors, as well as in next-generation 6G communication systems. The research was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation.
Read more on the topic:
- Scientists have learned to deliver brain cancer medication through the nose: the system was developed at Sechenov University
- Natural anti-cancer substance now absorbed 10 times better: Russia makes a breakthrough in medicine
- Cancer proposed to be treated without surgery and expensive metals: a gold replacement found