Real-time terahertz scanning imaging by use of a pyroelectric array camera and image denoising

Abstract

A high-resolution large-area terahertz (THz) scanning imaging system is demonstrated based on a 124×124 pyroelectric array camera and a CO(2) pumped continuous-wave THz laser. By applying a scanning mechanism to the real-time imaging setup, images of large-area targets were accomplished. Self-made resolution charts were employed to test the resolution. In order to improve the image quality, the noise in the images was studied and modeled, and then the performance of several denoising methods was compared with real-time THz original images. The experimental results show that, with the help of anisotropic diffusion, noise can be effectively suppressed, and the results are visually pleasant even when there is great attenuation. Those results greatly confirm application potentials of THz imaging using pyroelectric cameras in the field of concealed object detection.

Classical Holography in the Terahertz Range: Recording and Reconstruction Techniques

“…Later on, when the microbolometer arrays (MBA) [34], [35], initially developed for imaging of 10-14 m infrared radiation, and pyroelectric matrices [36]- [38] were applied to the THz imaging, we examined several holographic systems with microbolometer arrays of various microstructure designs. Fig.…”

“…The classical holography may improve image quality in THz radioscopy systems, which can be used, for example, in any kind of inspection systems. Other possible applications include medicine and spectroscopy, see, e.g., papers [38], [57]- [60].…”

Experimental research on resolution improvement in CW THz digital holography

“…Li THz imaging. So far as we are concerned, the highest reported resolution of 2D focus plane THz imaging system is about 0.6 mm [4].…”

Range resolved mode mixing in a large volume for the mitigation of speckle and strategic target orientation requirements in active millimeter-wave imaging

“…There have been many demonstrations of active imaging based on terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and other proximate approaches [24][25][26]. However, electronic technologies have proved to be more appropriate for nonproximate imaging [5,13], but even most of these have been at relatively short range (∼2 m) [6,8,22,23], although there are notable exceptions [19,27].…”