A dynamically reconfigurable THz-TDS imaging system for industrial measurement applications

在该项目中，我们将与我们的工业合作伙伴合作开发一种新的动态可重构THz成像系统概念，该系统使用独立的THz成像头（2D天线阵列），可以通过软件重新配置来探索低噪声操作和图像采集时间（同时读出像素的数量）之间的权衡。该太赫兹成像头具有近场成像、亚波长分辨率和全矢量场测量的能力，具有很高的信噪比。由于本提案中提出的独立THz成像头的固有可重构设计，因此可以使用相同的系统，例如，作为高采集速度极低噪声1D线性检测器阵列，或作为较低采集速度较高噪声2D成像器。因此，所提出的系统本质上是工艺可调的，并且是多功能的，从而提供更好的可重复性、工艺稳定性、成本效益和质量控制。此外，由于系统近场测量能力和亚波长分辨率，本提案中提出的测量改进直接提高了数据捕获的分辨率和准确性。最后，成像系统将从一开始就设计为独立模块，用于第三方THz-TDS系统，最适合在制造环境中部署。

Within the project we will work with our industrial partners to develop a novel concept of dynamically reconfigurable THz imaging system that uses a stand-alone THz imaging head (2D antenna array) that can be software reconfigured to explore the tradeoff between low noise operation and image acquisition time (number of simultaneously read-out pixels). The THz imaging head proposed in this proposal will be capable of near-field imaging, subwavelength resolution and fully vectorial field measurements with very high signal to noise ratio. Because of the inherently reconfigurable design of a stand-alone THz imaging head proposed in this proposal, the same system could be used, for example, as a high-acquisition-speed very-low-noise 1D linear detector array, or as a lower-acquisition-speed higher-noise 2D imager. As a result, the proposed system is inherently process tunable, and multifunctional, thus offering the better repeatability, process stability, cost effectiveness and quality control. Additionally, due to system near-field measurement capabilities and subwavelength resolution, measurement improvements presented in this proposal result directly in improved resolution and accuracy of data capture. Finally, the imaging system will be designed from the beginning as a stand-alone module to be used within third party THz-TDS systems, which is most suitable for deployment in manufacturing environments.