2D tomographic terahertz imaging using a single pixel detector.

Abstract

A 2D tomographic terahertz imaging set-up using a single pixel imaging approach is realized, where a liquid helium cooled bolometer is utilized as a bucket detector and a mercury-arc lamp serves as a broadband terahertz source. The different patterns of the terahertz radiation, which are necessary for the single pixel imaging approach, are realized by spatially addressed photodoping of a high resistivity float zone silicon window, employing a near-infrared laser diode, which is spatially modulated by a digital micromirror device. The two investigated sample objects have cylindrical and cuboid shapes and consist of polypropylene. Both sample shapes cause strong influences of refraction, reflection and diffraction, which distort the measured projections and thus have to be considered in the tomographic reconstruction. In order to consider these effects, a model is developed which combines refraction and diffraction effects by a hybrid approach using ray tracing and scalar diffraction theory yielding finally projections of the sample objects. These simulated projections are compared to the measured projections and show a good agreement between the experimental results and the developed model. In accordance with this result, an optimization problem is formulated, which offers an approach for tomographic reconstruction using the developed model.