Abstract: Devices and methods for a detection system and heterodyne mixer having a local oscillator (LO) input, a radio frequency (RF) input, an intermediate frequency (IF) output, and a suspended waveguide structure that has a quartz substrate and patterned metal transmission line with a plurality of suppression slots.

Abstract: A high-frequency detection system (100) such as a terahertz camera is disclosed which includes a first detector array (102), a second detector array (104), and a polarizing plate (106). The polarizing plate is interposed between the detector arrays such that it passes and/or reflects radiation signals (110) from a source (108) to the detector arrays. A first radiation signal (112) having a first polarization is passed through the polarizing plate to the first detector array, and a second radiation signal (114) having a second polarization is reflected from the polarizing plate to the second detector array. Both radiation signals are from source (108), which can be one or more human beings emitting radiation towards the detection system. In some embodiments, the detector arrays (102, (104) may be joined.

Abstract: In a terahertz imaging system, a scanning component for scanning a field of view is tracked by an optical beam to obtain positional information. The optical tracking beam can be steered by the scanning component for example by reflection, refraction or diffraction. The steered tracking beam can then be detected by a spatially sensitive detector such as a charge-coupled device array. In a preferred embodiment, the output of a terahertz detector receiving terahertz radiation from the scanned field of view is used to modulate the tracking beam. This means that the spatially sensitive detector can provide an image directly derived from the scanning of the field of view by the terahertz radiation.

Abstract: In a terahertz radiation detection system, an array of harmonic transmitters/receivers can be scanned across a field of view. By using an unbalanced pair of Schottky diodes in the mixer of a heterodyne receiver, the receiver can be converted to a transmitter, generating terahertz radiation at even harmonics of the local oscillator. By using local oscillators of different frequencies in the transmitter and a receiver, the receiver can detect the generated radiation. In alternative arrangements, the local oscillator of the transmitter might have the same frequency as that of the receiver but be modulated, either directly or simply as a result of the transmitter being scanned across the field of view. If modulated directly, it might be amplitude or frequency modulation, these having different advantages. A receiver can be switched between acting as a transmitter and as a receiver by turning on and off an electrical bias to the Schottky diode pair.