Terahertz Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy of Biomaterials

We are studying circular dichroism (CD) in biopolymers at the terahertz frequency. Circular Dichroism is the differential absorption of left and right circularly polarized light. CD has been successfully explored in the ultraviolet and visible range, but not in the terahertz range. Consequently, the dynamics of biopolymers in the terahertz range is not well understood. Terahertz radiation has long wavelength, which is at least a thousand times greater than the wavelength of visible light. This will allow for the study of a much larger scale dynamics of biopolymers that is believed to be crucial for protein folding and unfolding, which is necessary to carry out life functions. We have developed a simple theory model of Terahertz Circular Dichroism (TCD) Spectrometer. Our current terahertz circular dichroism spectrometer model shows rich science and powerful technology. TCD predicts a unique and specific spectral fingerprint for biopolymers.