Real-time terahertz material characterization by numerical three-dimensional optimization

Terahertz time domain spectroscopy allows for characterization of dielectrics even in cases where the samples thickness is unknown. However, a parameter extraction over a broad frequency range with simultaneous thickness determination is time consuming using conventional algorithms due to the large number of optimization steps. In this paper we present a novel method to extract the data. By employing a three dimensional optimization algorithm the calculation effort is significantly reduced while preserving the same accuracy level as conventional approaches. The presented method is even fast enough to be used in imaging applications. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America