High-speed time domain terahertz security imaging

Terahertz imagine, has the potential to reveal concealed explosives; metallic and non-metallic weapons (such as ceramic, plastic or composite guns and knives); flammables; biological agents; chemical weapons and other threats hidden in packages or on personnel. Time domain terahertz imagine, can be employed in reflection mode to image with sub millimeter resolution. Previously, single pixel acquisition times for THz waveforms was typically 20 Hz with time records of approx 80 picoseconds, which typically restricted imagine, time to hours for areas on the order of I square foot, limiting the field practicality of the equipment. We describe and demonstrate advanced imagers with 100 Hz -- > 320 picosecond, and 4000 Hz -- 20 picosecond waveform records. These systems have been demonstrated to image > 600 pixels/second from a single channel. Such a system, combined with a 32 channel linear THz array, could image a I square foot area with I mm resolution in < 5 seconds, performing a shoe explosives detection image in a short period of time.