Building a public database for terahertz research

At the ICMMTS conference, CRC MARIE and NFDI4ING experts discussed creating a public terahertz (THz) database to advance THz research. THz technology, spanning wavelengths ranging from 0.1–10 THz, has applications in communication, imaging, and localisation due to its unique wave properties.

A public terahertz database would revolutionise the way researchers and engineers access and utilise THz data. By creating machine-readable data sets, researchers can share their findings and collaborate more effectively. The database itself would serve as a repository for measurement data, which can be used as reference data sets to evaluate and optimise algorithms for downstream system design. This collaborative environment would accelerate the development of innovative solutions and enhance the overall quality of research in the THz domain.

However, establishing a public THz database is not without its challenges. Defining clear goals and application fields for the database, standardising metadata schemata [1][2], ensuring data quality, and overcoming the fear of criticism are just a few of the hurdles that need to be addressed.

Looking ahead, a key goal is developing a data crawler within five years to streamline discovery across databases. Progress also depends on advances in sensors, data processing, and AI. MARIE’s pilot work [3] highlights how researchers can lead this collaborative effort, building a robust foundation for future breakthroughs in THz science. The potential of a public THz database is vast, and we are excited to see the impact it will have on our understanding of this fascinating field.

References

[1] S. Y. Moussavi Alashloo, S. Leimer, S. Hendriks and S. Rehwald. “Competency questions in practice: metadata schema for terahertz research.” NFDI4Ing Conference 2022, 26 – 27 October, 2022.

[2] S. Arndt, B. Farnbacher, M. Fuhrmans, S. Hachinger, J. Hickmann, N. Hoppe, M. T. Horsch, D. Iglezakis, A. Karmacharya, G. Lanza, S. Leimer, J. Munke, D. Terzijska, J. Theissen-Lipp, C. Wiljes (2022): “Metadata4Ing: An ontology for describing the generation of research data within a scientific activity.” (1.0.0). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5957104

[3] S. Rehwald, S. Y. Moussavi Alashloo, I. Rolfes and T. Kaiser, “Research Data Management for Terahertz Research,” 2025 International Conference on Mobile and Miniaturized Terahertz Systems (ICMMTS), Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 2025, pp. 1-3, doi: 10.1109/ICMMTS62835.2025.10926027.