NEC develops ultra-sensitive terahertz camera

NEC develops ultra-sensitive terahertz camera- Major progress towards practica

*** For immediate use November 11, 2014

http://www.nec.com/en/press/201411/global_20141111_01.html

Tokyo, November 11, 2014 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701), under the Commissioned Research of the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT, *1), has developed a new pixel structure for Terahertz (THz, *2) array sensors and improved the Minimum Detectable Power per pixel (MDP) at 0.5 - 0.6 THz frequency, a ten time improvement over NEC's conventional product.

NEC currently produces and markets a THz camera (IRV-T0831) equipped with a 320X240-pixel array sensor. However, NEC's latest technologies enable it to develop and produce a 640X480-pixel array sensor which has four times the number of pixels than the current model. NEC has also developed a camera equipped with the array sensor, making it one of the world's largest number of pixels at a THz frequency band.

Furthermore, NEC improved the signal-to-noise ratio by four times using a 4X4 pixel binning process combining adjacent pixels, and enhanced the MDP value 40 times together with the effect of the new pixel structure so that NEC achieved one of the world's highest levels of sensitivity at the 0.5 - 0.6 THz frequency band for a two-dimensional array sensor (*3) operating at room temperature.

"NEC has been addressing the development of a highly sensitive real-time uncooled terahertz camera and the improvement in the sensitivity of terahertz array sensors since the development of a highly sensitive bolometer-type (*4) uncooled two-dimensional terahertz array sensor in April 2008," said Dr. Naoki Oda, Executive Engineer, Radio Application, Guidance and Electro-Optics Division, NEC. "Going forward, NEC will pursue the development and production of terahertz imaging equipment using the present results and contribute to a variety of fields such as non-destructive inspection, medicine/drug development, and illegal object detection."

The THz wave is an electromagnetic wave located between infrared and radio wave. Research and development of new application technologies to enhance measurement and communications are being promoted through use of the THz wave, which penetrates plastic, paper, and clothes and is thought to be safer than X-ray imaging. Therefore, THz technology has received extra attention as a major contributor to next generation technologies for non-destructive inspection, medical diagnosis and others.

Please see the attachments for an overview of the improvement in sensitivity and the positioning of the MDP value of NEC's array sensor featuring a new pixel structure.

[Attachment] Summary of Enhanced Sensitivity and Improved Resolution

Soltec Uncooled THz Imagers

My Note: I had never heard of Soltec until last night. Interesting company to keep an eye on. 
http://www.solteccorp.com/uncooled-thz-imagers

F. IRV-T0831 - Uncooled Terahertz Imaging Camera

FPA based, palm size and light weight real-time THz imager

The camera was developed by Dr. Naoki Oda. 

Career Biography of Dr. Naoki Oda – NEC Corporation Executive Engineer

Background:
Naoki ODA received his Ph.D degree in physics (infrared astronomy) from Kyoto University in 1979. He then joined the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (Munich) and for Astronomy (Heidelberg) as a postdoctoral fellow until April 1984l. During this term, he experienced balloon-borne near infrared and far infrared (nowadays, called Terahertz) observations of the Galaxy and star formation region.
After that, he joined R&D group of NEC Corporation, where he has been engaged in developing infrared (IR) and Terahertz (THz) focal plane arrays (FPAs). He is now an Executive Engineer in Guidance and Electro-Optics Division and in charge of developing uncooled THz-FPAs, THz imager and sales promotion. He has experiences of infrared astronomy for 10 years and development of infrared/THz detectors for 28 years.
He is a member of the Japan Society of Applied Physics and the Japan Society of Infrared Science and Technology.

Papers and Patents:
Dr. N. Oda has written a number of scientific papers and made a number of presentations and several lectures in universities (ca. 200 in total).
He has also written ca. 40 patents.

Awards:
(1) He received an award from the New Technology Development Foundation in April 2011 for development and production of high-sensitivity uncooled infrared camera.
(2) He was awarded by the Council for the Promotion of Cooperation among Industry, Government and Academy in September 2011 for development of Terahertz array sensor and handy terahertz camera.
(3) He was awarded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology in April 2012 for development of high-sensitivity uncooled infrared camera

R&D of Terahertz Technologies for Realizing Safety and Security by ICT

MY NOTE: A LARGER VIEW OF  THIS VIDEO IS ALSO FOUND  AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

NEC Successfully Demonstrates Terahertz Camera For Uses Including Fire Fighting And Rescue

MY NOTE: THE LIST OF APPLICATIONS AND USES FOR THz, GROWS, AND GROWS

http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=59901&magid=30
NEC Corporation, in cooperation with The University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), announced today the successful demonstration of terahertz wave (*1) image measurement technologies that deliver superior results at fire scenes to conventional image measurement technologies that use visible light or infrared. 

The demonstration was carried out using NEC and NICT jointly developed high sensitivity real-time uncooled terahertz camera,featuring terahertz wave image measurement technologies that enabled successful imaging through clouds of black smoke at a simulated fire scene. 

These results were realized through Commissioned Research and Development for Advanced Communication and Broadcasting Research and Development, sponsored by the NICT. 

Terahertz waves are electromagnetic waves situated between infrared waves and radio waves. Terahertz waves are helping to drive the advancement of technological research for measurement and communications as they can be transmitted through paper, plastic and smoke. Specifically, terahertz image measurement is attracting attention as a next-generation non-destructive testing technology that is considered to be safer than X-rays. 

There is a constant demand for image technologies that enable rescue workers to penetrate the black smoke that engulfs fire scenes and allows them to visually understand their surroundings. Terahertz wave technologies are believed to meet this need, but their effectiveness in a fire scene has been difficult for conventional technologies to verify due to the terahertz wave tendency to be easily absorbed by the atmosphere. 

In April 2008, NEC developed a high sensitivity bolometer (*2) type uncooled two-dimensional terahertz array sensor (*3). Since then, the company has developed a high sensitivity real-time uncooled terahertz camera and continued activities for improving the sensitivity of the array sensor. 

Looking forward, NEC will continue to promote the development and commercialization of terahertz image measurement devices and to contribute to the fields of nondestructive inspection, medical treatment, drug development and illicit object detection.



NEC will exhibit the new terahertz camera at SECURITY SHOW 2011 at Tokyo Big Sight from March 8-11.