A THz Imaging System Using Linear Sparse Periodic Array

This paper presents our comprehensive study on a THz imaging system using linear sparse periodic array (SPA) at 220 GHz. A 8 Tx and 8 Rx SPA is designed and simulated, considering the issues of theoretical resolution, practical field of view (FOV) and ghost images and suggesting the guidelines on designing such a THz SPA imaging system. In order to verify the proposed THz SPA imaging system experimentally, we have investigated a scheme that the Tx and Rx elements are located on two scanning tracks separated by a distance and devised a simplified experimental set-up using only 1 Tx and 1 Rx channels. The further simulation that takes account of effects resulting from track separation and beam properties correlates to the final measurement quite well. This experimental approach provides a low-cost solution to a practical implementation of THz SPA imaging system.