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US 7,745,792 B2Granted
Terahertz detectors for use in terahertz inspection or imaging systems
AssigneeMorpho Detection, Inc.
InventorsMichael Breit, Florian Krug
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A technique is provided for examining a subject. The technique includes illuminating at least a part of the subject with THz radiation and detecting THz radiation reflected and/or transmitted from the illuminated part and incident upon a detector array by measuring change in capacitance corresponding to the incident THz radiation.
Claims31
A terahertz (THz) inspection or imaging system, comprising:
- an electromagnetic radiation source configured to generate electromagnetic radiation at multiple discrete frequencies in the THz range;
- and
- a detector array including a plurality of detector cells adapted to detect THz radiation, each of the plurality of detector cells comprising a gas-filled variable capacitor and configured to generate a detector output signal in response to a change in capacitance in the variable capacitor caused by thermal expansion of the gas, the change in capacitance corresponding to an intensity of the THz radiation incident upon the integrated detector cell.
A detector adapted to detect terahertz (THz) radiation, the detector comprising:
- a plurality of detector cells arranged in an array and configured to receive the incident THz radiation, each of the plurality of detector cells comprising:
- an enclosure containing a gas and comprising a flexible membrane having a conductive coating on one side;
- and
- a fixed conductive plate facing the conductive coating on the flexible membrane to form a variable capacitor, wherein intensity of the incident radiation corresponds to a change in capacitance of the variable capacitor.
1 more element
A method of inspecting or imaging a subject, comprising:
- illuminating at least a part of the subject with a terahertz (THz) radiation of a first selected frequency;
- detecting THz radiation reflected and/or transmitted from the illuminated part in response to the THz radiation of the first selected frequency at a detector array;
- and
- generating a detector output signal in response to a change in capacitance in a variable capacitor of the detector array caused by thermal expansion of a gas included within the detector array, the change in capacitance corresponding to the THz radiation incident upon the detector array.
1 more element
A method of manufacturing a terahertz (THz) detector, the method comprising:
- forming a plurality of enclosures using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) techniques, each enclosure having a flexible membrane on one side such that each of the plurality of enclosures contains a gas;
- coating a layer of a conductive material on one side of each of the flexible membrane membranes;
- and
- disposing a conductive plate corresponding to each of the coated flexible membranes at a fixed distance from the flexible membrane to form a gas-filled variable capacitor, wherein an intensity of incident radiation corresponds to a change in capacitance of the variable capacitor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.