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Time-Resolved Technique Could Provide High Resolution for THz Imaging

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Using a single-pixel camera operating at THz frequencies, researchers at the University of Sussex have discovered a way to capture with a high degree of accuracy not just the shape of an object, but also its chemical composition. The technique uses time-resolved measurement to reconstruct the complexity of an object.

Nonlinear ghost imaging, University of Sussex.

T
ime-resolved nonlinear ghost imaging. Courtesy of University of Sussex/ACS Photonics.

The Sussex team’s approach was to illuminate an object with patterns of THz light containing a broad spectrum of colors. The team then used a single-pixel camera to capture the light that the object reflected for each pattern. The camera was able to detect how the pulse of light was altered in time by the object, even if the THz pulse was an extremely short event. Based on this information and what was known about the shape of the patterns, the researchers were able to derive the shape and composition of the object.

The novel methodology, which the researchers describe as nonlinear ghost imaging, theoretically demonstrates potential advantages over state-of-the-art imaging systems for the THz frequency range.

“Our approach produces a new type of image which is quite different from what you would get from a standard single-pixel camera as it provides much more information on the object,” said researcher Juan Sebastian Totero Gongora. “Compared to prior single-pixel images, we also demonstrated that our resolution is inherently higher.”

“Previous approaches to THz single-pixel cameras cannot preserve the complete information on an object, but we understood where the issue lay and identified a way to extract a more complete image,” said professor Marco Peccianti. “We hope that a similar system to ours could be used in real-life applications in biology, medicine, and security to determine the chemical composition of an object and its spatial distribution in just one step.”

In addition to its potential impact on THz cameras, the nonlinear ghost imaging technique could be used to design high-resolution cameras in other frequency ranges, which could be incorporated into technology for collision sensors, body scanners, or ultrafast radars for self-driving cars.

The technology was published in ACS Photonics (doi:10.1021/acsphotonics.8b00653).
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Published: August 2018
Glossary
nonlinear optics
Nonlinear optics is a branch of optics that studies the optical phenomena that occur when intense light interacts with a material and induces nonlinear responses. In contrast to linear optics, where the response of a material is directly proportional to the intensity of the incident light, nonlinear optics involves optical effects that are not linearly dependent on the input light intensity. These nonlinear effects become significant at high light intensities, such as those produced by...
terahertz
Terahertz (THz) refers to a unit of frequency in the electromagnetic spectrum, denoting waves with frequencies between 0.1 and 10 terahertz. One terahertz is equivalent to one trillion hertz, or cycles per second. The terahertz frequency range falls between the microwave and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Key points about terahertz include: Frequency range: The terahertz range spans from approximately 0.1 terahertz (100 gigahertz) to 10 terahertz. This corresponds to...
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Hyperspectral imaging is an advanced imaging technique that captures and processes information from across the electromagnetic spectrum. Unlike traditional imaging systems that record only a few spectral bands (such as red, green, and blue in visible light), hyperspectral imaging collects data in numerous contiguous bands, covering a wide range of wavelengths. This extended spectral coverage enables detailed analysis and characterization of materials based on their spectral signatures. Key...
Research & TechnologyeducationEuropeImagingghost imagingnonlinear imagingnonlinear opticssubwavelength hyperspectral imagingterahertzterahertz imagingtime-resolved imagingcamerashyperspectral imagingsecurityindustrialspectroscopyUniversity of SussexTech Pulse

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