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
38 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, 8)
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9. 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 (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of identifying or imaging an object comprising the steps of:
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simultaneously transmitting a first predetermined 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 second predetermined spectral pattern of pulse signals wherein the first and second predetermined patterns of pulsed signals each further comprise a respective fundamental frequency and integral multiple of the fundamental frequency and each pulse signal of said second predetermined pattern 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.
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15. 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 (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. 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 (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for analyzing, identifying or imaging a target comprising:
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providing first and second lasers for producing a respective first and second composite output beam in an integrated module wherein respective spectral components of the first and second composite beams are different from each other and wherein each further comprise a respective fundamental frequency and integer multiple of the fundamental frequency; producing continuous wave signals in the range of frequencies from 100 GHz to over 2 THz by a first photoconductive switch activated by said first 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 second composite optical beam for generating an electrical signal representative of some characteristic of the target.
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30. 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 (31)
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32. 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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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; 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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34. 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 (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification