Terahertz imaging devices and systems, and related methods, for detection of materials
First Claim
1. A terahertz imaging device, comprising:
- a focal plane array including;
a substrate; and
a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material coupled to the substrate, wherein;
each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements exhibits a resonant frequency in the THz range, and is configured to resonate and produce an output signal responsive to incident radiation at about its resonant frequency;
the plurality of resonance elements is arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays;
each sub-array includes resonance elements that are tuned to a different frequency that corresponds to a different spectral absorption peak for at least one material of interest such that resonant elements of a first sub-array are tuned to a first spectral absorption peak for a first material of interest, and resonant elements of a second sub-array are tuned to a second spectral absorption peak of the first material of interest; and
each resonant element includes an antenna coupled detector that includes a diode for converting incident radiation to DC in a time sufficient for imaging.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Terahertz imaging devices may comprise a focal plane array including a substrate and a plurality of resonance elements. The plurality of resonance elements may comprise a conductive material coupled to the substrate. Each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements may be configured to resonate and produce an output signal responsive to incident radiation having a frequency between about a 0.1 THz and 4 THz range. A method of detecting a hazardous material may comprise receiving incident radiation by a focal plane array having a plurality of discrete pixels including a resonance element configured to absorb the incident radiation at a resonant frequency in the THz, generating an output signal from each of the discrete pixels, and determining a presence of a hazardous material by interpreting spectral information from the output signal.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A terahertz imaging device, comprising:
a focal plane array including; a substrate; and a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material coupled to the substrate, wherein; each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements exhibits a resonant frequency in the THz range, and is configured to resonate and produce an output signal responsive to incident radiation at about its resonant frequency; the plurality of resonance elements is arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays; each sub-array includes resonance elements that are tuned to a different frequency that corresponds to a different spectral absorption peak for at least one material of interest such that resonant elements of a first sub-array are tuned to a first spectral absorption peak for a first material of interest, and resonant elements of a second sub-array are tuned to a second spectral absorption peak of the first material of interest; and each resonant element includes an antenna coupled detector that includes a diode for converting incident radiation to DC in a time sufficient for imaging. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A terahertz imaging system, comprising:
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a portal having a plurality of discrete sensors, wherein each discrete sensor comprises a focal plane array having a plurality of pixels, each pixel having a resonance element configured to absorb incident radiation, resonate at a frequency in the THz range, and responsively generate an output, wherein the resonance elements are arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays of the focal plane array that are each tuned to a different frequency corresponding to a different spectral absorption peak for at least one material of interest, wherein the portal is configured to operate a first discrete sensor as a THZ source and read data from the focal plane arrays of the other discrete sensors, and then operate a second discrete sensor as a THZ source and read data from the focal plane arrays of the other discrete sensors, and continue operating a different discrete sensor as a THZ source and reading data from the focal plane arrays of the other discrete sensors until each of the plurality of discrete sensors has been operated as a THZ source; and a data acquisition system configured to construct a multidimensional image that can identify the location of a threat object in the portal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of detecting at least one hazardous material, the method comprising:
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filtering incident radiation through a spectral selective filter having a first plurality of resonance elements configured to pass a narrow band of the incident radiation; receiving the filtered incident radiation by a focal plane array having a plurality of discrete pixels including a second plurality of resonance elements configured to absorb the filtered incident radiation at a resonant frequency in the THz range for a plurality of sub-arrays that are tuned to different frequencies corresponding to different spectral absorption peaks for at least one hazardous material of interest such that resonant elements of a first sub-array are tuned to a first spectral absorption peak for a first material of interest, and resonant elements of a second sub-array are tuned to a second spectral absorption peak of the first material of interest; generating an output signal from each of the discrete pixels; and determining a presence of at least one hazardous material of interest by interpreting spectral information from the output signal. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A terahertz imaging device, comprising:
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a focal plane array including; a substrate; and a plurality of resonance elements comprising a conductive material coupled to the substrate, wherein; each resonance element of the plurality of resonance elements exhibits a resonant frequency in the THz range, and is configured to resonate and produce an output signal responsive to incident radiation at about its resonant frequency; the plurality of resonance elements is arranged in a plurality of sub-arrays; each sub-array includes resonance elements that are tuned to a different frequency that corresponds to a different spectral absorption peak for at least one material of interest; and each resonant element includes an antenna coupled detector that includes a diode for converting incident radiation to DC in a time sufficient for imaging; and wherein each resonance element of at least one sub-array includes a bowtie dipole antenna having an inner width of approximately 2.51 μ
m, an outer width of approximately 42.36 μ
m, and a port gap width of approximately 2.41 μ
m.
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Specification