PULSED TERAHERTZ SPECTROMETER
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
- a first laser providing first predetermined set of optical pulses at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies;
a source of pulse signals coupled to said first laser and operating in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz;
a second laser that provides a second predetermined set of optical pulses at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies where each of the second predetermined set of pulses are different from a respective pulse of the first predetermined set of pulses by a predetermined offset frequency;
a detector for acquiring spectral information reflected from said object and coupled to the second laser for generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristics of the object; and
a processor coupled to said detector for processing said electrical signal.
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Abstract
An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object including a source of pulsed signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz focused on the object; and a detector for acquiring spectral information from signals reflected from the object and using a heterodyning process to generate an electrical signal representative of some characteristics of the object. The source of pulse signals and the detector is a photoconductive switch activated by a pulsed laser beam.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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a first laser providing first predetermined set of optical pulses at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies; a source of pulse signals coupled to said first laser and operating in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz; a second laser that provides a second predetermined set of optical pulses at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies where each of the second predetermined set of pulses are different from a respective pulse of the first predetermined set of pulses by a predetermined offset frequency; a detector for acquiring spectral information reflected from said object and coupled to the second laser for generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristics of the object; and a processor coupled to said detector for processing said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10)
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8. A portable apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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a housing capable of being supported by a user; a source of pulse signals in said housing; a first laser in said housing coupled to said source, said first laser providing a first predetermined set of signals to said source at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies, said pulsed signals from said source being in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz; a lens mounted on said housing for causing said pulsed signals to be focused on said object; a second laser in said housing, said second laser providing a second predetermined set of signals at a second predetermined set of frequencies where each of the second predetermined set of signals is different from the first predetermined set by a predetermined offset frequency; a detector in said housing for receiving the second set of signals, acquiring spectral information reflected from said object and generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristics of the object; and means in said housing coupled to said detector for processing said electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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9. A method of identifying or imaging an object comprising the steps of:
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simultaneously transmitting a spectral pattern of pulse signals to an object, said signals being in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz said spectral pattern being generated by the interaction of a first predetermined set of signals at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies with a photoconductive switch; detecting return signals in said range after propagation through or reflection from said object by utilizing a second photoconductive switch tuned to a spectral pattern of pulse signals wherein each pulse signal is shifted by a small amount from the corresponding pulse signal in said first set of signals of said spectral pattern; and analyzing said spectral information to identify said object or a compositional characteristic thereof. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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providing a first predetermined set of optical signals at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies; generating a source of pulsed signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz from the first predetermined set of optical signals; focusing said pulsed signals on said object; generating a second predetermined set of optical signals at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies where each of the second predetermined set of signals are different from a respective signal of the first predetermined set of signals by a predetermined offset frequency; combining the return signals received from the object with the second predetermined set of signals in a detector; and processing the combined signals. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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a first optical source that provides a first comb of equally spaced optical pulses; a second optical source that provides a second comb of equally spaced optical pulses with each optical pulse of the second comb offset from a respective pulse of the first comb by a predetermined offset frequency; a radiator that receives the first comb of pulses and produces target interacting pulsed signals in the range of frequencies of from 100 GHz to over 2 THz; a detector that combines the target interacted pulsed signals with the second comb to produce an electrical signal; and a processor coupled to said detector that processes the electrical signal. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging a target comprising:
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providing first and second lasers for producing a composite output beam in an integrated module; producing continuous wave signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz by a first photoconductive switch activated by said composite optical beam; simultaneously focusing said signals on or through said target; and acquiring spectral information reflected from or transmitted through said target by a detector and coupled to said composite optical beam for generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristic of the target.
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31. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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providing a first predetermined set of optical signals at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies; generating a source of pulsed signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz from the first predetermined set of optical signals; directing said pulsed signals on said object; generating a second predetermined set of optical signals at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies; mixing the return signals received from the object with the second predetermined set of signals in a herterodying downconverter to produce a downconverted frequency set of signals; and processing the downconverted signals to determine an aspect of the object. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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providing a first predetermined set of optical signals at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies; generating a source of pulsed signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz from the first predetermined set of optical signals; directing said pulsed signals on said object; generating a second predetermined set of optical signals at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies; mixing the return signals received from the object with the second predetermined set of signals in a heterodyne downconverter to produce a downconverted frequency set of signals; and processing the downconverted signals to determine an aspect of the object.
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34. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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providing a first predetermined set of optical signals at a first predetermined set of respective frequencies; generating a source of pulsed signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz from the first predetermined set of optical signals; simultaneously directing said pulsed signals on said object; generating a second predetermined set of optical signals at a second predetermined set of respective frequencies; and combining the simultaneous return signals received from the object with the second predetermined set of signals in a detector to simultaneously determine the absorption characteristics of the object over a plurality of frequencies.
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35. An apparatus for analyzing, identifying or imaging an object, comprising:
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a source of pulse signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz substantially simultaneously directed to said object; and a detector for acquiring spectral information reflected from said object and performing a heterodyne downconversion for generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristics of the object. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. An apparatus as defined in claim 39, further comprising:
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a first source of pulsed laser optical signals, said signals being in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz; and a second source of pulsed laser optical signals, said signals having a set of frequencies offset from the first set of frequency by a constant frequency in the range of n×
2.5 KHz.
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Specification