Terahertz Sensing System and Method

Terahertz radiation sensing has been seen a significant area of interest because of its wide array of security, medical, and research applications. However, the challenge lies in capturing and analyzing this radiation effectively as traditionally used systems can only sense stationary objects, severely limiting their functionality. This inability to capture moving targets is a considerable drawback because it restricts the practical applications of these systems and impedes the real-time detection and analysis that are crucial in fields such as security checks, health diagnostics, and hyperspectral imaging.

Technology Description

This system and an accompanying method for sensing terahertz radiation operate by collecting terahertz radiation scattered from a target and upconverting the collected radiation to optical frequencies. A frequency-domain spectrometer senses the spectral components of the upconverted signal in parallel, producing a spectroscopic measurement of the entire band of interest in one take. It's designed to be able to conduct single-shot measurements, making it possible to sense moving targets. What sets this technology apart is its compatibility with mobile targets. Unlike the traditional, serial detection-based sensing systems that can only accommodate stationary objects, this flexible system can be used on moving targets, delivering real-time imaging solutions in various fields including concealed weapon detection, medical imaging, and hyperspectral imaging.