# US 10,863,895 B2 · Terahertz endoscopy through laser-driven terahertz sources and detectors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,863,895 B2 - Document ID: US10863895B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/577,222 - Filed: 2016-05-27 - Published: 2019-05-23 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-27 - Assignees: The Regents of the University of California - Applicants: The Regents of the University of California - Inventors: Mona Jarrahi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10863895B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/05: characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion - A61B 1/00188: {with focusing or zooming features} - A61B 1/00195: {with eyepieces} - A61B 1/046: {for infrared imaging} - A61B 1/063: {for monochromatic or narrow-band illumination} - A61B 1/0676: {at distal tip of an endoscope} - A61B 1/2676: {Bronchoscopes} - A61B 1/2736: {Gastroscopes} - G01J 3/2823: {Imaging spectrometer} - G01J 3/42: Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry (beam switching arrangements G01J3/08) - G01N 21/3586: by Terahertz time domain spectroscopy [THz-TDS] - H10F 30/00: Individual radiation-sensitive semiconductor devices in which radiation controls the flow of current through the devices, e.g. photodetectors - H10F 39/80: {Constructional details of image sensors} - H10F 39/806: {Optical elements or arrangements associated with the image sensors} - H10F 77/1243: {characterised by the dopants} - H10F 77/20: Electrodes - Y02E 10/544: Solar cells from Group III-V materials - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Terahertz imaging systems for endoscopy are provided. Terahertz imaging systems can be utilized in scanning tissue. Terahertz imaging systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention can include terahertz sources, terahertz detectors, and/or rotating elements. The terahertz sources can generate terahertz radiation and have plasmonic contact electrodes that can be illuminated by optical pump beams. The terahertz detectors can receive terahertz field data. The terahertz source and detector can be arranged in an array. The rotating elements can be mirror mounted at a particular angle on a micromotor. The terahertz source, rotating element, and terahertz detector can be arranged in an catheter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A terahertz imaging system for endoscopy, comprising: a terahertz imager configured to receive terahertz image data comprising: a fiber bundle; at least one terahertz source configured to generate terahertz radiation, wherein each of the at least one terahertz source has an active area having at least one plasmonic contact electrode that can be illuminated by optical pump beams to generate the terahertz radiation; and at least one terahertz detector configured to receive terahertz field data, wherein each of the at least one terahertz detector has an active area having at least one plasmonic contact electrode that can be illuminated by optical pump beams to induce an output proportional to the received terahertz field; and wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are arranged in a two dimensional array such that each terahertz detector is surrounded by a plurality of terahertz sources symmetrically; and wherein the fiber bundle couples optical pump beams to the active area of the at least one terahertz source and optical probe beams to the active area of the at least one terahertz detector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, further comprising an optical light source configured to illuminate at least one target. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The terahertz imaging system of claim 2, further comprising an optical camera configured to receive optical image data related to the illuminated target. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, further comprising a laser source configured to pump the at least one terahertz source and to probe the at least one terahertz detector using femtosecond optical beams. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The terahertz imaging system of claim 4, wherein the laser source is a phase-modulated dual-laser-synchronized control femtosecond laser. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are fabricated on an InGaAs substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are fabricated on a GaAs substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, further comprising an electrical input to the at least one terahertz source to generate a bias voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, further comprising an electrical output from the at least one terahertz detector configured to collect the output from the at least one terahertz detector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are mounted on a silicon lens. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are arranged in an array such that each terahertz detector is surrounded by four terahertz sources symmetrically. ### Claim 12 (depends on 3) The terahertz imaging system of claim 3, wherein image data is collected simultaneously from the optical camera and the terahertz imager. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The terahertz imaging system of claim 12, wherein at least one panoramic image is generated from the optical image data and terahertz image data using cross registration algorithms to map the optical image data to the terahertz image data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The terahertz imaging system of claim 13, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are compatible with 1550 nanometer optical wavelengths. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The terahertz imaging system of claim 13, wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are compatible with at least one of: 800 nanometer optical wavelengths and 1000 nanometer optical wavelengths. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The terahertz imaging system of claim 1, further comprising at least one optical lens. ### Claim 17 A terahertz imaging system for endoscopy, comprising: a terahertz imager configured to receive terahertz image data comprising: a fiber bundle; at least one terahertz source configured to generate terahertz radiation, wherein each of the at least one terahertz source has an active area that can be illuminated by optical pump beams to generate the terahertz radiation; and at least one rotating element configured to reflect the generated terahertz radiation across scanned material; at least one terahertz detector configured to receive terahertz radiation reflected by the at least one rotating element, wherein each of the at least one terahertz detector has an active area that can be illuminated by optical probe beams to induce an output proportional to the received terahertz field; wherein the at least one terahertz source and detector are arranged in a two-dimensional array such that each terahertz detector is surrounded by a plurality of terahertz sources symmetrically; wherein the fiber bundle couples optical pump beams to the active area of the at least one terahertz source and optical probe beams to the active area of the at least one terahertz detector; and wherein the at least one terahertz source, at least one rotating element, and at least one terahertz detector are arranged in a catheter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The terahertz imaging system of claim 17, wherein the at least one rotating element is a mirror mounted at a particular angle on a micromotor within the catheter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The terahertz imaging system of claim 18, wherein the micromotor can rotate the at least one rotating element during reflection of the generated terahertz radiation across the scanned material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The terahertz imaging system of claim 17, wherein: the at least one terahertz source has at least one plasmonic contact electrode; and the at least one terahertz detector has at least one plasmonic contact electrode.