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Characterization of a terahertz wave scanned imaging system for threat detection at standoff distances

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Abstract

A terahertz active scanned imaging system is developed in order to acquire images of various targets at stand-off distances. The images are analyzed with respect to the experimentally obtained beam profile at the target plane using a commercially available mm-wave/terahertz camera. The active scanning system utilizes a heterodyne, continuous wave transceiver unit operating at 340 GHz and 2-D opto-mechanical scanning of the target plane is performed using two large area mirror coupled galvanometers. 340 GHz working frequency allows standoff imaging with adequate resolution with the help of a suitable optical design. Results given here correspond to the imaging of various objects placed at least 120 cm away from the transceiver, with a 5 × cm2 field of view. Image resolution is about 0.6 cm in the horizontal, 0.3 cm in the vertical direction which was assessed by analyzing the measured beam profiles on the target plane with a commercial mm-wave/terahertz camera.

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Acknowledgments

The author acknowledges support from MPNS COST ACTION MP 1204—TERAMIR RADIATION: Materials, Generation, Detection and Applications. This project is funded under Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology Grant #0994STZ20112. This work was supported by the BAGEP Award of the Science Academy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey

    İ. Ozan Yıldırım, V. Ali Özkan, Fırat İdikut, Taylan Takan & Hakan Altan

  2. Electronics and Communication Engineering Department, Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey

    A. Behzat Şahin

Authors
  1. İ. Ozan Yıldırım
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  2. V. Ali Özkan
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  3. Fırat İdikut
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  4. Taylan Takan
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  5. A. Behzat Şahin
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  6. Hakan Altan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to İ. Ozan Yıldırım.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Advances in the Science of Light.

Guest Edited by Jelena Radovanovic, Milutin Stepic, Mikhail Sumetsky, Mauro Pereira and Dragan Indjin.

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Yıldırım, İ.O., Özkan, V.A., İdikut, F. et al. Characterization of a terahertz wave scanned imaging system for threat detection at standoff distances. Opt Quant Electron 48, 367 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-016-0631-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11082-016-0631-x

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