Real-time continuous-wave terahertz line scanner based on a compact 1 x 240 InGaAs Schottky barrier diode array detector

We demonstrate real-time continuous-wave terahertz (THz) line-scanned imaging based on a 1 x 240 InGaAs Schottky barrier diode (SBD) array detector with a scan velocity of 25 cm/s, a scan line length of 12 cm, and a pixel size of 0.5 x 0.5 mm(2). Foreign substances, such as a paper clip with a spatial resolution of approximately 1 mm that is hidden under a cracker, are clearly detected by this THz line-scanning system. The system consists of the SBD array detector, a 200-GHz gyrotron source, a conveyor system, and several optical components such as a high-density polyethylene cylindrical lens, metal cylindrical mirror, and THz wire-grid polarizer. Using the THz polarizer, the signal-to-noise ratio of the SBD array detector improves because the quality of the source beam is enhanced. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America