Dual-prism based terahertz time-domain attenuated total reflection spectroscopy and its application to characterise the hydration state of L-threonine in solution

To investigate the hydration state of amino acids, terahertz time-domain attenuated total internal reflection (THz TD-ATR) spectroscopy is often adopted to measure the complex permittivity. However, the classical THz TD-ATR spectroscopy system has only a single ATR prism and requires prism cleaning for different measuring modes, increasing the time consumed and easily introducing errors due to the changing environment. To accelerate the measurements and avoid the influence of environmental fluctuations, in this paper, we designed and built a dual-prism based THz TD-ATR spectroscopy: two ATR prisms with and without samples setting on the optical rail can be sequentially switched to optical systems for easily and rapidly collecting both sample and reference ATR spectra. According to the measurements of deionised water, the dual-prism based THz TD-ATR spectroscopy system can measure the sample complex permittivity rapidly and with high accuracy. The complex permittivity of L-threonine in aqueous solution is measured and analysed via the proposed system, and the hydration numbers of L-threonine solutions in different concentrations are quantitatively characterised. It is believed that the dual-prism based THz TD-ATR technique is a powerful tool for quickly and accurately investigating the hydration of amino acids.