Jean-Paul Guillet

Aeronautics composite material inspection with a terahertz time-domain spectroscopy system

Abstract. The usability of pulsed broadband terahertz radiation for the inspection of composite materials from the aeronautics industry is investigated, with the goal of developing a mobile time-domain spectroscopy system that operates in reflection geometry. A wide range of samples based on glass and carbon fiber reinforced plastics with various types of defects is examined using an imaging system; the results are evaluated both in time and frequency domain. The conductivity of carbon fibers prevents penetration of the respective samples but also allows analysis of coatings from the reflected THz pulses. Glass fiber composites are, in principle, transparent for THz radiation, but commonly with significant absorption for wavelengths >1u2009u2009THz. Depending on depth, matrix material, and size, defects like foreign material inserts, delaminations, or moisture contamination can be visualized. If a defect is not too deep in the sample, its location can be correctly identified from the delay between partial reflections at the surface and the defect itself.

Propagation beam consideration for 3D THz computed tomography

In this paper, a model of the beam propagation is developed according to the physical properties of THz waves used in THz computed tomography (CT) scan imaging. This model is first included in an acquisition simulator to observe and estimate the impact of the Gaussian beam intensity profile on the projection sets. Second, the model is introduced in several inversion methods as a convolution filter to perform efficient tomographic reconstructions of simulated and real acquired objects. Results obtained with three reconstruction methods (BFP, SART and OSEM) are compared to the techniques proposed in this paper. We will demonstrate an increase of the overall quality and accuracy of the 3D reconstructions.

Linear to radial polarization conversion in the THz domain using a passive system

This paper addresses a passive system capable of converting a linearly polarized THz beam into a radially polarized one. This is obtained by extending to THz frequencies and waveguides an already proven concept based on mode selection in optical fibers. The approach is validated at 0.1 THz owing to the realization of a prototype involving a circular waveguide and two tapers that exhibits a radially polarized beam at its output. By a simple homothetic size reduction, the system can be easily adapted to higher THz frequencies.

Advanced Processing Sequence for 3-D THz Imaging

In this paper, we present an advanced image processing sequence to perform nondestructive inspection from 3-D terahertz (THz) images. We develop all the steps starting from a 3-D tomographic reconstruction of a sample from radiographs acquired with a monochromatic millimeter-wave imaging system to an automated segmentation, extracting the different volumes of interest (VOI) composing the sample. This leads to 3-D visualization and dimensional measurements. This inspection is completed by a skeletonization and caliber analysis providing an accurate assessment of the structure, geometry, and morphology of the acquired object. Overall sequence is implemented onto an unique software and validated through different sample analysis.

Near-field wire-based passive probe antenna for the selective detection of the longitudinal electric field at terahertz frequencies

A passive probe antenna for cw near-field microscopy at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths is defined. It is based on the coupling between a free-space linearly polarized propagating beam to a wire mode. This is obtained efficiently owing to a discontinuous phase plate. This passive “optical” structure allows either the generation of a subwavelength confinement of the longitudinal electric field (polarized along the wire antenna) or, due to reciprocity, the collection of the longitudinal component of the electric field (along the wire antenna) with subwavelength resolution. The emission and collection properties of the proposed antenna have been demonstrated experimentally using a preliminary realization designed to work at 0.1 THz. Experimental results are well supported by calculations.

Ordered subsets convex algorithm for 3D terahertz transmission tomography

We investigate in this paper a new reconstruction method in order to perform 3D Terahertz (THz) tomography using a continuous wave acquisition setup in transmission mode. This method is based on the Maximum Likelihood for TRansmission tomography (ML-TR) first developed for X-ray imaging. We optimize the Ordered Subsets Convex (OSC) implementation of the ML-TR by including the Gaussian propagation model of THz waves and take into account the intensity distributions of both blank calibration scan and dark-field measured on THz detectors. THz ML-TR reconstruction quality and accuracy are discussed and compared to other tomographic reconstructions.

Terahertz radiation for tomographic inspection

Abstract. Three-dimensional (3-D) terahertz computed tomography has already been performed with three different reconstruction methods (standard back-projection algorithm and two iterative analyses) to reconstruct 3-D objects. A Gaussian beam model is developed according to the physical properties of terahertz waves such as the energy distribution within the propagation path. This model is included as a new convolution filter into the tomographic reconstruction methods in order to analyze the impact of a such effect and then to enhance quality and accuracy of the resulting images. We demonstrate the improvements of the optimized reconstructions for applied 3-D terahertz tomography.

Terahertz imaging and tomography as efficient instruments for testing polymer additive manufacturing objects

Additive manufacturing (AM) technology is not only used to make 3D objects but also for rapid prototyping. In industry and laboratories, quality controls for these objects are necessary though difficult to implement compared to classical methods of fabrication because the layer-by-layer printing allows for very complex object manufacturing that is unachievable with standard tools. Furthermore, AM can induce unknown or unexpected defects. Consequently, we demonstrate terahertz (THz) imaging as an innovative method for 2D inspection of polymer materials. Moreover, THz tomography may be considered as an alternative to x-ray tomography and cheaper 3D imaging for routine control. This paper proposes an experimental study of 3D polymer objects obtained by additive manufacturing techniques. This approach allows us to characterize defects and to control dimensions by volumetric measurements on 3D data reconstructed by tomography.

Low-frequency noise effect on terahertz tomography using thermal detectors.

In this paper, the impact of low-frequency noise on terahertz-computed tomography (THz-CT) is analyzed for several measurement configurations and pyroelectric detectors. We acquire real noise data from a continuous millimeter-wave tomographic scanner in order to figure out its impact on reconstructed images. Second, noise characteristics are quantified according to two distinct acquisition methods by (i)xa0extrapolating from experimental acquisitions a sinogram for different noise backgrounds and (ii)xa0reconstructing the corresponding spatial distributions in a slice using a CT reconstruction algorithm. Then we describe the low-frequency noise fingerprint and its influence on reconstructed images. Thanks to the observations, we demonstrate that some experimental choices can dramatically affect the 3D rendering of reconstructions. Thus, we propose some experimental methodologies optimizing the resulting quality and accuracy of the 3D reconstructions, with respect to the low-frequency noise characteristics observed during acquisitions.

Processing sequence for non-destructive inspection based on 3D terahertz images

In this paper we present an innovative data and image processing sequence to perform non-destructive inspection from 3D terahertz (THz) images. We develop all the steps starting from a 3D tomographic reconstruction of a sample from its radiographs acquired with a monochromatic millimetre wave imaging system. Thus an automated segmentation provides the different volumes of interest (VOI) composing the sample. Then a 3D visualization and dimensional measurements are performed on these VOI, separately, in order to provide an accurate nondestructive testing (NDT) of the studied sample. This sequence is implemented onto an unique software and validated through the analysis of different objects