STTR Phase I: High Speed Terahertz Tomographic Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) Imaging System

这项小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目计划开发高速太赫兹(THz)层析无损评估(NDE)成像系统的技术和理论基础。提出了一种用于商用光谱仪系统的多太赫兹发射器和接收器组件阵列试验台，并对其进行了评估。该试验台将被配置为层析结构，并且在第一阶段中最初使用4和6个元件。该试验台将用于评估1)功能参数和从由相同分离光纤光源驱动的模块阵列收集多通道数据的可行性；以及2)功能参数和从由该阵列扫描的简单测试对象重建3维断层图像的可行性。太赫兹成像已经显示出巨大的潜力，创新和研究具有巨大的潜力，可以提供成像速度和三维图像重建的巨大飞跃。成像速度和三维成像被认为是这项技术被广泛应用于商业应用的两个最重要的因素。太赫兹成像在无损检测(NDE)和国土安全领域具有巨大的市场潜力。太赫兹成像可用于航空航天等行业塑料和复合材料的无损检测，以确保所制造部件的强度和安全性。此外，对隐藏的爆炸物、生物剂、化学武器、易燃物、金属和非金属武器以及其他潜在危险物品的快速成像是许多民用和政府机构(交通安全、执法)以及商业航空等行业非常关注的问题。STTR的合作将促进产业界和大学在这一快速发展的领域中的发展合作。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project proposes to develop the technological and theoretical foundation of a high-speed terahertz (THz) tomographic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) imaging system. It is proposed to construct and evaluate a multiple THz transmitter and receiver module array test-bed to be employed with a commercially availability spectrometer system. This test-bed will be configured in a tomographic configuration and initially employ 4 and 6 elements in Phase I. This test-bed will be used to evaluate 1) the functional parameters and the feasibility of gathering multiple channels of data from an array of modules driven by the same split fiber optic source; and 2) the functional parameters and the feasibility of the reconstruction of 3 dimensional tomographic images from simple test objects scanned by the array. THz imaging has shown great potential, and there is great potential for innovation and research to provide a quantum leap in imaging speed and three dimensional image reconstruction. The image formation rate and three-dimensional image construction have been identified as two of the most important enabling factors in the widespread adoption of this technology for commercial applications.THz tomography offers tremendous market potential in the fields of Non-Destructive Examination (NDE), and homeland security. THz imaging can be used for the NDE of plastic and composite materials in aerospace and other industries, to insure strength and safety of manufactured components. In addition, rapid imaging of concealed explosives, biological agents, chemical weapons, flammables, metallic and non-metallic weapons, and other potentially dangerous items are of great concern to many civilian and governmental agencies (transportation security, law enforcement), and industries such as commercial aviation. This STTR collaboration will foster the developmental collaboration between industry and university in this rapidly advancing field.