Terahertz Compressive Imaging with Tunable Metamaterial Absorbers

利用可调谐超材料吸收体的太赫兹压缩成像智力价值：拟议研究的目标是利用超材料吸收体作为空间光调制器，在太赫兹（THz）频率下演示单像素压缩和编码孔径成像。它将展示以前没有实现的功能齐全的单像素多路复用太赫兹成像系统。成像系统将基于编码孔径成像理论的各种实现，包括压缩和Hadamard方法。PI将通过对超材料响应的主动控制来探索用于动态空间光调制器的有前途的技术，这些技术已经是当前研究专业知识的一部分。动态空间光调制器将由可单独寻址的超材料结构的像素化阵列组成。更广泛的影响：太赫兹领域成像的发展在各个领域都有深远的影响，例如用于癌症检测的生物医学成像和细胞，DNA和蛋白质的高分辨率光谱学，以及全天候制导系统和人员筛查。然而，现有的成像方法由于缺乏太赫兹频率范围内的有效源和检测器而具有有限的灵敏度。此外，检测器通常是需要扫描以获得2D图像的单像素检测器或遭受降低的性能的焦平面阵列。除了促进技术突破和知识产权的产生，该项目还将在波士顿学院建立一个研究和教学实验室，研究超材料、太赫兹科学和技术以及编码孔径成像等领域。这个跨学科的研究项目将允许实验室的成员积极促进超材料的太赫兹传感和通信和压缩成像的新兴领域。这些项目为波士顿学院的本科生和研究生提供了一个极好的机会，让他们了解超材料为未来技术应用所需的非常规、复杂和新兴的物理特性，以填补太赫兹领域的空白。它将培养未来一代的科学和工程专业的有价值的和多功能的实验技术，包括极宽带频域光谱学和太赫兹光谱学和成像，以及用于开发微米和纳米级人工电磁材料的制造方法，以及利用有限元法的计算机模拟技术，以及成像系统的构建。PI坚定地致力于本科研究，参与麦克奈尔奖学金计划，这是一个为代表性不足（低收入和第一代）的本科生提供的研究生院准备计划，将进一步允许从波士顿大学人口中代表性不足的部分招募本科生和研究生。

Terahertz Compressive Imaging with Tunable Metamaterial AbsorbersIntellectual merit: The goal of the proposed research is to demonstrate single pixel compressive and coded aperture imaging at terahertz (THz) frequencies utilizing metamaterial absorbers as spatial light modulators. It will showcase fully functional single pixel multiplexed terahertz imaging systems not achieved before. Imaging systems will based on various implementations of coded aperture imaging theory including compressive and Hadamard approaches. The PI will explore promising technologies for use in dynamic spatial light modulators though active control of the metamaterial response and which are already part of current research expertise. Dynamic spatial light modulators will consist of pixelated arrays of metamaterial structures that are individually addressable.Broader impact: The development of imaging in the terahertz regime has far reaching impact in diverse areas such as biomedical imaging for cancer detection and high resolution spectroscopy of cells, DNA and proteins, to all weather guidance systems and personnel screening. However existing imaging approaches have limited sensitivity due to the lack of efficient sources and detectors in the terahertz frequency range. Moreover detectors are typically single pixel detectors that require scanning to obtain a 2D image or focal plane arrays which suffer reduced performance. Beyond facilitating technological breakthroughs and intellectual property generation, the project will establish a research and teaching laboratory at Boston College in the areas of metamaterials, terahertz science and technology, and coded aperture imaging. This interdisciplinary research project will permit members of the laboratory to actively contribute to the burgeoning field of metamaterials for terahertz sensing and communications and compressive imaging. These projects provide an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students at Boston College to learn about the unconventional, complex, and emergent physical properties that metamaterials hold for future technological applications needed to fill voids in the terahertz regime. It will train the future generation of science and engineering majors in valuable and versatile experimental techniques including extremely broadband frequency domain spectroscopy and THz spectroscopy and imaging, and fabricational methods for development of micron and nano-scale artificial electromagnetic materials, as well as computer simulation techniques utilizing the finite element method, and the construction of imaging systems. The PIs strong commitment to undergraduate research, involvement with the McNair Scholarship program, a graduate school preparation program for underrepresented (low income and first generation) undergraduates, will further permit recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students from the underrepresented portion of the Boston College population.