The Department of Physics colloquia includes internationally prominent guest speakers. They take place on Fridays during the semester and are open to anyone from the university, with students encouraged to attend.
For any questions about the colloquia, please contact Dr Anton Souslov, a.souslov@bath.ac.uk.
Professor Euan Hendry
Prof Euan Hendry, University of Exeter
Single pixel THz imaging using near field photomodulation
Abstract: Many materials respond in interesting ways to terahertz frequency radiation, and due its non-ionizing photon energies there is great interest and potential in imaging in the THz region. However, working in this region of the EM spectrum is notoriously difficult, with limited options for sources and focal lane detectors. Moreover, with the long (~mm) wavelengths, the diffraction limit places very restrictive limits on resolution.
In this talk, I will describe a relatively new approach to THz imaging that uses optically modulated, spatially patterned THz beams, created via a photomodulator. Using this approach, we can leverage the power of single pixel imaging techniques such as Hadmard imaging, with excellent signal to noise and high resolution (down to 8um), breaking the THz diffraction limit by almost two orders of magnitude. I will present our most recent work in this area, which targets specific applications ranging from cancer detection to security screening.