Pulsed terahertz imaging using a plasmonic photoconductive terahertz source array

To address the limitations of existing terahertz time-domain imaging systems, we introduce a novel terahertz source array based on plasmonic nanoantenna arrays, enabling efficient optical-to-terahertz conversion. As a proof of concept, we integrate this terahertz source array and a single-pixel detector into a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system to capture multi-pixel hyperspectral terahertz images without the need for raster scanning. Our results demonstrate that the system successfully captures both amplitude and phase information by acquiring far-field images of objects with varying phase and amplitude. The proposed terahertz source array has the potential to enable high-throughput, high-SNR, and high-resolution imaging and inspection systems, leveraging the unique advantages of terahertz waves.