Full-Field Terahertz Imaging at Kilohertz Frame Rates Using Atomic Vapor
Lucy A. Downes, Andrew R. MacKellar, Daniel J. Whiting, Cyril Bourgenot, Charles S. Adams, Kevin J. Weatherill
Abstract
There is much interest in employing terahertz (THz) radiation across a range of imaging applications, but so far, technologies have struggled to achieve the necessary frame rates. Here, we demonstrate a THz imaging system based upon efficient THz-to-optical conversion in atomic vapor, where full-field images can be collected at ultrahigh speeds using conventional optical camera technology. For a 0.55-THz field, we show an effective 1-cm 2 sensor with near diffraction-limited spatial resolution and a minimum detectable power of 190 AE 30 fW s -1=2 per 40 40 m 2 pixel capable of video capture at 3000 frames per second. This combination of speed and sensitivity represents a step change in the state of the art of THz imaging and will likely lead to its uptake in wider industrial settings.