DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: High-throughput terahertz imaging: progress and challenges

Journal Article · · Light, Science & Applications

Abstract Many exciting terahertz imaging applications, such as non-destructive evaluation, biomedical diagnosis, and security screening, have been historically limited in practical usage due to the raster-scanning requirement of imaging systems, which impose very low imaging speeds. However, recent advancements in terahertz imaging systems have greatly increased the imaging throughput and brought the promising potential of terahertz radiation from research laboratories closer to real-world applications. Here, we review the development of terahertz imaging technologies from both hardware and computational imaging perspectives. We introduce and compare different types of hardware enabling frequency-domain and time-domain imaging using various thermal, photon, and field image sensor arrays. We discuss how different imaging hardware and computational imaging algorithms provide opportunities for capturing time-of-flight, spectroscopic, phase, and intensity image data at high throughputs. Furthermore, the new prospects and challenges for the development of future high-throughput terahertz imaging systems are briefly introduced.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0016925
OSTI ID:
2000635
Journal Information:
Light, Science & Applications, Journal Name: Light, Science & Applications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 12; ISSN 2047-7538
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

References (224)

Data‐Class‐Specific All‐Optical Transformations and Encryption journal June 2023
Universal Polarization Transformations: Spatial Programming of Polarization Scattering Matrices Using A Deep Learning‐Designed Diffractive Polarization Transformer journal August 2023
Broadband Achromatic Sub‐Diffraction Focusing by an Amplitude‐Modulated Terahertz Metalens journal August 2020
All‐Optical Phase Recovery: Diffractive Computing for Quantitative Phase Imaging journal May 2022
Multicolor T-Ray Imaging Using Multispectral Metamaterials journal March 2018
Time‐Lapse Image Classification Using a Diffractive Neural Network journal February 2023
Terahertz spectroscopy and imaging - Modern techniques and applications journal October 2010
Uncooled Detectors Challenges for THz/sub-THz Arrays Imaging journal April 2011
Improving Spatial Resolution of Real-Time Terahertz Near-Field Microscope journal August 2011
Terahertz-time domain spectrometer with 90 dB peak dynamic range journal July 2014
Terahertz Heterodyne Array Receivers for Astronomy journal June 2015
Art Painting Diagnostic Before Restoration with Terahertz and Millimeter Waves journal January 2017
Imaging and Spectroscopic Sensing with Low-Repetition-Rate Terahertz Pulses and GaN TeraFET Detectors journal November 2017
Ultrasensitive Kilo-Pixel Imaging Array of Photon Noise-Limited Kinetic Inductance Detectors Over an Octave of Bandwidth for THz Astronomy journal May 2018
Fabrication and characterization of diffractive phase plates for forming high-power terahertz vortex beams using free electron laser radiation journal March 2016
Towards 6G wireless communication networks: vision, enabling technologies, and new paradigm shifts journal November 2020
THz near-field imaging journal May 1998
Diffractive Deep Neural Networks at Visible Wavelengths journal October 2021
Terahertz pulsed imaging and near infrared imaging to monitor the coating process of pharmaceutical tablets journal March 2009
Viability of layered-hybrid architecture for far IR focal-plane arrays journal January 2008
Multispectral classification techniques for terahertz pulsed imaging: an example in histopathology journal June 2004
An integrated description of terahertz generation through optical rectification, charge transfer, and current surge journal December 2005
Real-time two-dimensional terahertz tomography of moving objects journal November 2006
Terahertz quasi-near-field real-time imaging journal December 2009
Terahertz real-time imaging with balanced electro-optic detection journal December 2010
Reprogrammable multifocal THz metalens based on metal–insulator transition of VO2-assisted digital metasurface journal May 2020
A Metalens with a Near-Unity Numerical Aperture journal February 2018
Scale-, Shift-, and Rotation-Invariant Diffractive Optical Networks journal December 2020
Rapid Imaging of Pulsed Terahertz Radiation with Spatial Light Modulators and Neural Networks journal November 2021
Spectral selectivity in infrared thermal detection journal August 2012
Photomechanical meta-molecule array for real-time terahertz imaging journal December 2017
A broadband superconducting detector suitable for use in large arrays journal October 2003
Significant performance enhancement in photoconductive terahertz optoelectronics by incorporating plasmonic contact electrodes journal March 2013
Subwavelength-thick lenses with high numerical apertures and large efficiency based on high-contrast transmitarrays journal May 2015
Terahertz compressive imaging with metamaterial spatial light modulators journal June 2014
A flexible and wearable terahertz scanner journal November 2016
Spatial sampling of terahertz fields with sub-wavelength accuracy via probe-beam encoding journal June 2019
All-optical information-processing capacity of diffractive surfaces journal January 2021
Ensemble learning of diffractive optical networks journal January 2021
Ghost spintronic THz-emitter-array microscope journal June 2020
Nanoprinted high-neuron-density optical linear perceptrons performing near-infrared inference on a CMOS chip journal March 2021
All-optical synthesis of an arbitrary linear transformation using diffractive surfaces journal September 2021
Polarization multiplexed diffractive computing: all-optical implementation of a group of linear transformations through a polarization-encoded diffractive network journal May 2022
Dual-color terahertz spatial light modulator for single-pixel imaging journal June 2022
All-optical image classification through unknown random diffusers using a single-pixel diffractive network journal March 2023
Snapshot multispectral imaging using a diffractive optical network journal April 2023
Universal linear intensity transformations using spatially incoherent diffractive processors journal August 2023
Real-time terahertz imaging with a single-pixel detector journal May 2020
Rapid sensing of hidden objects and defects using a single-pixel diffractive terahertz sensor journal October 2023
Single photon detection of 1.5 THz radiation with the quantum capacitance detector journal November 2017
Room-temperature heterodyne terahertz detection with quantum-level sensitivity journal July 2019
A room-temperature polarization-sensitive CMOS terahertz camera based on quantum-dot-enhanced terahertz-to-visible photon upconversion journal November 2022
Principles and prospects for single-pixel imaging journal December 2018
Large-scale neuromorphic optoelectronic computing with a reconfigurable diffractive processing unit journal April 2021
Nanoscale terahertz scanning probe microscopy journal July 2021
Inference in artificial intelligence with deep optics and photonics journal December 2020
A High-Power Broadband Terahertz Source Enabled by Three-Dimensional Light Confinement in a Plasmonic Nanocavity journal June 2017
Self-triggered Asynchronous Optical Sampling Terahertz Spectroscopy using a Bidirectional Mode-locked Fiber Laser journal October 2018
Terahertz integrated electronic and hybrid electronic–photonic systems journal December 2018
A programmable diffractive deep neural network based on a digital-coding metasurface array journal February 2022
Terahertz in-line digital holography of human hepatocellular carcinoma tissue journal February 2015
Real-time broadband terahertz spectroscopic imaging by using a high-sensitivity terahertz camera journal February 2017
High Sensitivity Terahertz Detection through Large-Area Plasmonic Nano-Antenna Arrays journal February 2017
Design and fabrication of 3D‐printed planar Fresnel zone plate lens journal May 2016
The Photodetector Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) on the  Herschel Space Observatory journal July 2010
A kilo-pixel imaging system for future space based far-infrared observatories using microwave kinetic inductance detectors journal May 2017
Monolithic Ge:Ga Detector Development for SAFARI conference January 2009
Free‐space electro‐optic sampling of terahertz beams journal December 1995
Coherent detection of freely propagating terahertz radiation by electro‐optic sampling journal January 1996
Two‐dimensional electro‐optic imaging of THz beams journal August 1996
A wideband coherent terahertz spectroscopy system using optical rectification and electro‐optic sampling journal October 1996
Free-space electro-optic sampling with a high-repetition-rate regenerative amplified laser journal August 1997
Nonresonant detection of terahertz radiation in field effect transistors journal May 2002
Resonant detection of subterahertz and terahertz radiation by plasma waves in submicron field-effect transistors journal December 2002
Polarization dependent focusing lens by use of quantized Pancharatnam–Berry phase diffractive optics journal January 2003
Plasma wave detection of sub-terahertz and terahertz radiation by silicon field-effect transistors journal July 2004
Terahertz wideband spectroscopic imaging based on two-dimensional electro-optic sampling technique journal April 2005
Asynchronous optical sampling terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for ultrahigh spectral resolution and rapid data acquisition journal August 2005
A single-pixel terahertz imaging system based on compressed sensing journal September 2008
A passive terahertz video camera based on lumped element kinetic inductance detectors journal March 2016
Femtosecond terahertz time-domain spectroscopy at 36 kHz scan rate using an acousto-optic delay journal March 2016
Highly accurate thickness measurement of multi-layered automotive paints using terahertz technology journal July 2016
Low noise terahertz MgB2 hot-electron bolometer mixers with an 11 GHz bandwidth journal January 2017
Tutorial: An introduction to terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) journal December 2018
A high-responsivity and broadband photoconductive terahertz detector based on a plasmonic nanocavity journal December 2018
Fourier single-pixel imaging in the terahertz regime journal July 2019
Photoconductive terahertz detectors with 105 dB peak dynamic range made of rhodium doped InGaAs journal June 2019
Efficient photoconductive terahertz detection through photon trapping in plasmonic nanocavities journal August 2021
A Tunable Echelle Imager journal August 2000
The Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) journal September 2004
Submillimeter-wave kinetic inductance bolometers on free-standing nanomembranes journal December 2013
A high numerical aperture terahertz all-silicon metalens with sub-diffraction focus and long depth of focus journal December 2020
Reconfigurable metamaterials for terahertz wave manipulation journal July 2017
Heterodyne terahertz detection through electronic and optoelectronic mixers journal May 2020
SCUBA-2: the 10 000 pixel bolometer camera on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope journal March 2013
High-power Bessel beams with orbital angular momentum in the terahertz range journal August 2017
Fourier-space Diffractive Deep Neural Network journal July 2019
Detection, mixing, and frequency multiplication of terahertz radiation by two-dimensional electronic fluid journal March 1996
Millimeter-wave Fresnel-zone plate lens and antenna journal January 1995
Subpicosecond photoconducting dipole antennas journal February 1988
Dual-frequency imaging using an electrically tunable terahertz quantum cascade laser conference September 2009
Classic holography, tomography and speckle metrology using a high-power terahertz free electron laser and real-time image detectors conference September 2010
Diffractive Focusing Structures for Broadband Application in thz Range conference September 2018
5.8 A 32×32-Pixel 0.9THz Imager with Pixel-Parallel 12b VCO-Based ADC in 0.18μm CMOS conference February 2019
34.3 A 32×32 Pixel 0.46-to-0.75THz Light-Field Camera SoC in 0.13μ m CMOS conference February 2021
A 16.4kPixel 3.08-to-3.86THz Digital Real-Time CMOS Image Sensor with 73dB Dynamic Range conference February 2023
THz Systems Exploiting Photonics and Communications Technologies journal January 2023
Terahertz Spectroscopy and Imaging for Defense and Security Applications journal August 2007
A 1 k-Pixel Video Camera for 0.7–1.1 Terahertz Imaging Applications in 65-nm CMOS journal December 2012
A 32-Unit 240-GHz Heterodyne Receiver Array in 65-nm CMOS With Array-Wide Phase Locking journal May 2019
Terahertz Metamaterial Absorbers Implemented in CMOS Technology for Imaging Applications: Scaling to Large Format Focal Plane Arrays journal July 2017
Analysis of Diffractive Optical Neural Networks and Their Integration With Electronic Neural Networks journal January 2020
Analysis of Diffractive Neural Networks for Seeing Through Random Diffusers journal March 2023
A High-Resolution Imaging Radar at 580 GHz journal January 2008
A uncooled multi-band metamaterial detector focal plane array for real-time multi-spectral terahertz wave sensing and imaging conference January 2017
Towards multi-channel time-domain terahertz imaging with photoconductive antennas conference January 2002
A CMOS focal-plane array for heterodyne terahertz imaging conference June 2009
3-D Printed Terahertz Lens to Generate Higher Order Bessel Beams Carrying OAM journal June 2021
Emerging Terahertz Integrated Systems in Silicon journal September 2021
Millimeter-Wave Characteristics of Phase-Correcting Fresnel Zone Plates journal December 1987
Terahertz Spectroscopy for Astronomy: From Comets to Cosmology journal September 2011
7.5% Optical-to-Terahertz Conversion Efficiency Offered by Photoconductive Emitters With Three-Dimensional Plasmonic Contact Electrodes journal September 2014
High-Power Terahertz Generation Using Large-Area Plasmonic Photoconductive Emitters journal March 2015
Time Resolved Dynamic Measurements at THz Frequencies Using a Rotary Optical Delay Line journal July 2015
THz Beam Shaping Based on Paper Diffractive Optics journal July 2016
Optical and Electrical Characterization of a Large Kinetic Inductance Bolometer Focal Plane Array journal March 2017
Qualitative and Quantitative Identification of Components in Mixture by Terahertz Spectroscopy journal November 2018
Multiplexing THz Vortex Beams With a Single Diffractive 3-D Printed Lens journal January 2019
Multisensor Compressive Sensing for High Frame-Rate Imaging System in the THz Band journal September 2019
Terahertz Spectroscope Using CMOS Camera and Dispersive Optics journal September 2020
A Passive, Fully Staring THz Video Camera Based on Kinetic Inductance Bolometer Arrays journal January 2021
Large Array of Single-Photon Counting Quantum Capacitance Detectors journal March 2022
Class-specific differential detection in diffractive optical neural networks improves inference accuracy journal July 2019
Massively parallel universal linear transformations using a wavelength-multiplexed diffractive optical network journal January 2023
Bolometric kinetic inductance detector technology for sub-millimeter radiometric imaging conference October 2015
Terahertz imaging of large objects with high resolution conference September 2020
NEP characterization and analysis method for THz imaging devices conference April 2021
Plasmonic photoconductive terahertz focal-plane array for super-resolution and high-speed imaging conference October 2023
SuperCam: a 64-pixel heterodyne imaging array for the 870-micron atmospheric window conference June 2006
Dual-frequency continuous-wave terahertz transmission imaging of nonmelanoma skin cancers conference February 2010
Latest progress in developing large format Ge arrays for far-IR astronomy conference July 2010
Video-rate chemical identification and visualization with snapshot hyperspectral imaging conference May 2012
The Fresnel Zone-Plate Lens conference October 1985
Noninvasive, near-field terahertz imaging of hidden objects using a single-pixel detector journal June 2016
Spectrally encoded single-pixel machine vision using diffractive networks journal March 2021
All-optical graph representation learning using integrated diffractive photonic computing units journal June 2022
Unidirectional imaging using deep learning–designed materials journal April 2023
Metalenses at visible wavelengths: Diffraction-limited focusing and subwavelength resolution imaging journal June 2016
All-optical machine learning using diffractive deep neural networks journal July 2018
Application of terahertz spectroscopy for remote express analysis of gases journal November 2017
Physics-Aware Differentiable Discrete Codesign for Diffractive Optical Neural Networks conference October 2022
Real-Time, Subwavelength Terahertz Imaging journal July 2013
Computational imaging without a computer: seeing through random diffusers at the speed of light journal January 2022
To image, or not to image: class-specific diffractive cameras with all-optical erasure of undesired objects journal August 2022
Far infrared imagery journal August 1976
Improvement of terahertz imaging with a dynamic subtraction technique journal January 2000
Development of a gallium-doped germanium far-infrared photoconductor direct hybrid two-dimensional array journal April 2003
Synthetic aperture in terahertz in-line digital holography for resolution enhancement journal December 2015
Biomedical applications of a real-time terahertz color scanner journal August 2010
Design and fabrication of blazed binary diffractive elements with sampling periods smaller than the structural cutoff journal January 1999
Terahertz wave focal-plane multiwavelength phase imaging journal April 2009
Measurement and calculation of the orientation dependence of terahertz pulse detection in ZnTe journal January 2001
Terahertz spectrometer operation by laser repetition frequency tuning journal March 2011
Broadband in-line terahertz 2D imaging: comparative study with time-of-flight, cross-correlation, and Fourier transform data processing journal April 2018
Characterization of thin-film optical properties by THz near-field imaging method journal August 2019
Fourier-transform terahertz near-field imaging of one-dimensional slit arrays: mapping of electric-field-, magnetic-field-, and Poynting vectors journal January 2007
Real-time terahertz color scanner for moving objects journal January 2008
Advanced terahertz electric near-field measurements at sub-wavelength diameter metallic apertures journal May 2008
Terahertz line detection by a microlens array coupled photoconductive antenna array journal October 2008
Compact Image Slicing Spectrometer (ISS) for hyperspectral fluorescence microscopy journal January 2009
Near-field THz imaging of free induction decay from a tyrosine crystal journal August 2010
Real-time terahertz near-field microscope journal January 2011
Terahertz digital holography using angular spectrum and dual wavelength reconstruction methods journal April 2011
Single-shot terahertz spectroscopy using pulse-front tilting of an ultra-short probe pulse journal January 2011
Terahertz spectroscopy of the reactive and radiative near-field zones of split ring resonator journal January 2012
Fast three-dimensional terahertz computed tomography using real-time line projection of intense terahertz pulse journal January 2013
Terahertz single pixel imaging with an optically controlled dynamic spatial light modulator journal January 2013
Multichannel terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system at 1030 nm excitation wavelength journal January 2014
Terahertz in-line digital holography of dragonfly hindwing: amplitude and phase reconstruction at enhanced resolution by extrapolation journal July 2014
THz holography in reflection using a high resolution microbolometer array journal January 2015
Resolution and quality enhancement in terahertz in-line holography by sub-pixel sampling with double-distance reconstruction journal September 2016
3D-printed diffractive elements induced accelerating terahertz Airy beam journal December 2016
Ultrafast time-domain spectroscopy system using 10 GHz asynchronous optical sampling with 100 kHz scan rate journal December 2016
Video-rate terahertz digital holographic imaging system journal September 2018
Terahertz image reconstruction based on compressed sensing and inverse Fresnel diffraction journal May 2019
Generating terahertz perfect optical vortex beams by diffractive elements journal January 2020
Time-domain terahertz compressive imaging journal January 2020
Plasmonics-enhanced photoconductive terahertz detector pumped by Ytterbium-doped fiber laser journal January 2020
High-sensitivity telecommunication-compatible photoconductive terahertz detection through carrier transit time reduction journal January 2020
Single-pixel imaging 12 years on: a review journal September 2020
Broadband high-resolution terahertz single-pixel imaging journal September 2020
High-throughput terahertz spectral line imaging using an echelon mirror journal January 2021
Terahertz dark-field imaging of biomedical tissue journal December 2001
Near-field terahertz imaging with a dynamic aperture journal January 2000
Real-time measurement of temporal waveforms of a terahertz pulse using a probe pulse with a tilted pulse front journal January 2008
High signal-to-noise-ratio electro-optical terahertz imaging system based on an optical demodulating detector array journal October 2009
High-speed terahertz time-domain spectroscopy based on electronically controlled optical sampling journal November 2010
Continuous-wave terahertz digital holography by use of a pyroelectric array camera journal May 2011
Real-time line projection for fast terahertz spectral computed tomography journal June 2011
Spinning disk for compressive imaging journal December 2011
Enhanced light–matter interaction at nanoscale by utilizing high-aspect-ratio metallic gratings journal January 2013
Cost-efficient delay generator for fast terahertz imaging journal August 2014
All fiber-coupled THz-TDS system with kHz measurement rate based on electronically controlled optical sampling journal January 2014
3D printed diffractive terahertz lenses journal April 2016
Improving time and space resolution in electro-optic sampling for near-field terahertz imaging journal October 2016
Single-laser polarization-controlled optical sampling system for THz-TDS journal March 2018
Fibonacci terahertz imaging by silicon diffractive optics journal June 2018
Terahertz wave near-field compressive imaging with a spatial resolution of over λ/100 journal December 2018
Hyperspectral terahertz microscopy via nonlinear ghost imaging journal February 2020
Compressed sensing with near-field THz radiation journal August 2017
Two-dimensional space–time terahertz memory in bulk SrTiO3 journal August 2022
Coherent reconstruction of a textile and a hidden object with terahertz radiation journal January 2019
Near-IR wide-field-of-view Huygens metalens for outdoor imaging applications journal February 2020
Misalignment resilient diffractive optical networks journal July 2020
Recent advances in terahertz technology for biomedical applications journal June 2017
Terahertz detectors and focal plane arrays journal January 2011
Spectroscopic Imaging with an Ultra-Broadband (1–4 THz) Compact Terahertz Difference-Frequency Generation Source journal February 2021
Terahertz Polarization Imaging and Its Applications journal December 2018
Progress in Infrared Photodetectors Since 2000 journal April 2013
Non-Contact, Non-Destructive Testing in Various Industrial Sectors with Terahertz Technology journal January 2020
Fiber Coupled Transceiver with 6.5 THz Bandwidth for Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy in Reflection Geometry journal May 2020
Real-Time Megapixel Electro-Optical Imaging of THz Beams with Probe Power Normalization journal June 2022
Responsivity and NEP Improvement of Terahertz Microbolometer by High-Impedance Antenna journal July 2022
Terahertz and Cultural Heritage Science: Examination of Art and Archaeology journal February 2016