METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING SAMPLE USING TERAHERTZ WAVE

• US 20130001421A1
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: CHOI, Jae-Ick, PYO, Seong-Min, LEE, Wang-Joo
• Application Number:
  US13/534,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20130001421A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/330
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/42 Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry beam switching arrangements G01J3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for analyzing a sample using terahertz waves. The method of analyzing a sample using terahertz waves includes: generating terahertz waves; simultaneously radiating two or more electromagnetic waves with different radiation angles, using the terahertz waves with a transmitting antenna; receiving the two or more electromagnetic waves transmitting the sample with a receiving antenna; and acquiring an analysis image of the sample by processing the received two or more electromagnetic waves In accordance with the present invention, it is possible to reduce the time taken to acquire an analysis image of a sample by simultaneously radiating terahertz waves with different radiation angels from one antenna.

Claims

1. An apparatus for analyzing a sample using terahertz waves, comprising:

a signal generating unit configured to generates terahertz waves;

a transmitting antenna configured to simultaneously radiate two or more electromagnetic waves with different radiation angles, using the terahertz waves;

a receiving antenna configured to receive at least two transmitting the sample; and

a signal processing unit configured to acquire an analysis image of the sample by processing the received two or more electromagnetic waves.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more electromagnetic waves with different radiation angles are at least one of backward waves, zeroth-order resonant waves, and forward waves.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transmitting antenna or the receiving antenna is a CRLH (Composite Right-Left Handed) metamaterial leaky wave antenna.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a lens disposed ahead of or behind the sample and corrects the radiation angle or the incident angle of the two or more electromagnetic waves.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal generating unit includes:

an oscillator configured to generate initial electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency band; and

a frequency multiplier configured to generates a terahertz wave by multiplying the initial electromagnetic wave by an integer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal processing unit includes:

a reverse frequency multiplier configure to converting the received two or more electromagnetic waves into electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency band;

a signal detector configured to the magnitudes of the converted electromagnetic waves;

a signal processor configured to determine pixel values according to the magnitudes of the detected electromagnetic wave; and

an image generator configured to generate an analysis image of a sample composed of pixels having the determined pixel values.

7. A method for analyzing a sample using terahertz waves, comprising:

generating terahertz waves;

simultaneously radiating two or more electromagnetic waves with different radiation angles, using the terahertz waves with a transmitting antenna;

receiving the two or more electromagnetic waves transmitting the sample with a receiving antenna; and

acquiring an analysis image of the sample by processing the received two or more electromagnetic waves.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the two or more electromagnetic waves with different radiation angles are at least one of backward waves, zeroth-order resonant waves, and forward waves.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting antenna or the receiving antenna is a CRLH (Composite Right-Left Handed) metamaterial leaky wave antenna.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

making the two or more electromagnetic waves transmit lens configured to correct the radiation angle or the incident angel of the electromagnetic waves before or after transmitting the sample.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the generating of terahertz waves include:

generating initial electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency band; and

generating the terahertz wave by multiplying the initial electromagnetic wave by an integer.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the acquiring an analysis image of the sample by processing the received two or more electromagnetic waves includes:

converting the received two or more electromagnetic waves into electromagnetic waves in a predetermined frequency band;

detecting the magnitudes of the converted electromagnetic waves;

determining pixel values according to the magnitudes of the detected electromagnetic waves; and

creating an analysis image of a sample composed of pixels having the determined pixel values.