COMPOSITE DIPOLE ARRAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20080017813A1
• Filed: 07/25/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Holly, Sandor, Vetrovec, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 7,507,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/504R
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/136 Magnetic, electromagnetic, acoustic or radiation systems, e.g. ground penetrating radars or metal-detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/00 Antenna arrays or systems arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern of the waves radiated from an antenna or antenna system H01Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/062 using dipole aerials; H01Q21/067, H01Q21/068 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 23/00 Antennas with active circuits or circuit elements integrated within them or attached to them

Abstract

Methods and systems for generating and imaging THz electromagnetic radiation using a composite dipole array made up of novel structures of non-linear dipole strings with dual frequency resonances for frequency up conversion and frequency down conversion are disclosed. THz electromagnetic radiation resulting from the frequency down conversion process can be used as an illumination source for imaging, as a carrier for communications, or as an energy source for spectroscopy, for example. Optical electromagnetic radiation resulting from the frequency up conversion process can be used to form images from THz electromagnetic radiation for contraband detection, guidance systems, and medical applications, for example.

Claims

1. A Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation generator comprising:

a composite dipole array comprising a plurality of dipoles electrically interconnected via non-linear resonant circuits; and

two lasers configured to direct laser beams to the composite dipole array such that the laser beams cooperate with the composite dipole array to form THz electromagnetic radiation.

2. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the lasers comprise ring type optical resonator lasers.

3. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the lasers comprise infrared lasers.

4. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the lasers are configured such that the laser beams are incident upon a common portion of the composite dipole array.

5. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, wherein the lasers are configured such that the laser beams are incident upon the composite dipole array at approximately a same angle with respect to a normal to the composite dipole array.

6. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transverse mode control configured to mitigate at least some transverse modes of each laser.

7. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a reverse mode suppressor configured to mitigate a reverse mode of each laser.

8. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a beam expander for expanding at least one laser beams so as to better correspond to a dimension of the composite dipole array.

9. The THz electromagnetic radiation generator as recited in claim 1, further comprising a reflector configured to reflect light from one side of the composite dipole array back toward the composite dipole array such that the reflected light constructively interferes with light from another side of the composite dipole array.

10. A Terahertz (THz) electromagnetic radiation imaging system comprising:

a composite dipole array;

THz imaging optics configured to direct THz electromagnetic radiation to the composite dipole array; and

a laser configured to direct a laser beam to the composite dipole array such that the laser beam cooperates with the THz electromagnetic radiation and the composite dipole array to form optical electromagnetic radiation.

11. The THz electromagnetic radiation imaging system as recited in claim 10, wherein the laser comprises a ring type optical resonator laser.

12. The THz electromagnetic radiation imaging system as recited in claim 10, wherein the laser comprises an infrared laser.

13. The THz electromagnetic radiation imaging system as recited in claim 10, wherein the THz imaging optics form an image upon the composite dipole array.

14. The THz electromagnetic radiation imaging system as recited in claim 10, further comprising infrared imaging optics and an imaging sensor, the infrared imaging optics being configured to form an image upon the imaging sensor using the optical electromagnetic radiation from the composite dipole array.

15. The THz electromagnetic radiation imaging system as recited in claim 10, wherein laser beam cooperates with the THz electromagnetic radiation and the composite dipole array to form infrared electromagnetic radiation.

16. A method of frequency conversion, the method comprising:

directing first electromagnetic radiation of a first frequency to a composite dipole array comprising dipoles that are electrically interconnected by non-linear circuits; and

directing second electromagnetic radiation of a second frequency to the composite dipole array, wherein the composite dipole array radiates electromagnetic radiation at a difference frequency approximately equal to a difference between the frequency of the first electromagnetic radiation and the second electromagnetic radiation.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the composite dipole array is resonant at the difference frequency and is further resonant at a summation frequency approximately equal to a summation of the frequency of the first electromagnetic radiation and the second electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the composite dipole array radiates electromagnetic radiation at the difference frequency and the summation frequency.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

mitigating at least some transverse modes of the first electromagnetic radiation;

mitigating a reverse mode of the first electromagnetic radiation;

expanding at least one beam of the first electromagnetic radiation to correspond to a dimension of the composite dipole array; and

reflecting at least some of the radiated electromagnetic radiation at the difference frequency from a first side of the composite dipole array back toward the composite dipole array to constructively interfere with at least some of the radiated electromagnetic radiation from a second side of the composite dipole array.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the composite dipole array radiates electromagnetic radiation comprising Terahertz electromagnetic radiation.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the composite dipole array radiates electromagnetic radiation comprising optical electromagnetic radiation.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising forming a visible image based on the optical electromagnetic radiation.

22. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation and the second electromagnetic radiation are within an optical frequency range and the difference frequency is in a Terahertz frequency range.

23. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein the first electromagnetic radiation is within an optical frequency range and the second electromagnetic radiation is within a Terahertz frequency range and the difference frequency is within an infrared frequency range.