Method and apparatus for terahertz imaging
First Claim
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1. A method of inspecting a medium having one or more absorptive, dispersive, or reflective constituents, comprising the steps of:
- directing a pulsed sequence of electromagnetic signals that are in the frequency range between 100 GHz to 20 THz at said medium, wherein the pulsed sequence is selected so as to permit observation of frequency dependent variations in the absorption, dispersion, or reflectivity of at least one constituent of the medium; and
detecting the directed pulse signals following propagation through the medium, the detected pulse signals being characterized by temporal distortions related to said frequency dependent variations, to thereby obtain spectral information about said constituents in real time.
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Abstract
Certain material and objects can be characterized by a frequency-dependent absorption, dispersion, and reflection of terahertz transients in signals which pass illuminate the material or object. The present terahertz imaging system analyses that frequency dependence in the time-domain by collecting that transmitted signal propagating through the object and then processing the information contained in those signals for every point or "pixel" on that object. This is a non-invasive imaging technique that is capable of differentiating between different materials, chemical compositions, or environments.
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12 Claims
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1. A method of inspecting a medium having one or more absorptive, dispersive, or reflective constituents, comprising the steps of:
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directing a pulsed sequence of electromagnetic signals that are in the frequency range between 100 GHz to 20 THz at said medium, wherein the pulsed sequence is selected so as to permit observation of frequency dependent variations in the absorption, dispersion, or reflectivity of at least one constituent of the medium; and detecting the directed pulse signals following propagation through the medium, the detected pulse signals being characterized by temporal distortions related to said frequency dependent variations, to thereby obtain spectral information about said constituents in real time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for inspecting a medium having one or more absorptive, dispersive, or reflective constituents, comprising:
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a transmitter for directing a pulsed sequence of electromagnetic signals that are in the frequency range between 100 GHz to 20 THz at said medium, wherein the pulsed sequence is selected so as to permit observation of frequency dependent variations in the absorption, dispersion, or reflectivity of at least one constituent of the medium; and a detector for detecting the pulsed sequence following propagation through the medium, the detected pulsed sequence being characterized by temporal distortions related to said frequency dependent variations in the absorption, dispersion, or reflectivity of at least one constituent of the medium, to thereby obtain spectral information about said constituents in real time. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification