The Electromagnetic Environment Above 100 GHz: Electromagnetic Compatibility, Personal Safety and Regulation Issues

THz radiation with frequencies between 100 GHz and a few THz has long been used for scientific sensing applications as radio astronomy, atmospheric research and laboratory spectroscopy, only. By now the technology has reached a sufficient maturity for first commercial applications. While products like THz imaging systems for the detection of skin cancer or security scanning systems at airports raise the question of personal safety exposure limits, industrial applications as quality control or packaging inspection demand the electromagnetic compatibility of measurement systems. Recently, as a result for the need of extended bandwidth, also communication systems at frequencies of 300 GHz and above are discussed. Such systems will require the regulation of still unregulated frequency bands above 300 GHz.