Millimeter-wave (mmW)/sub-mmW/THz region of the electro-magnetic spectrum enables imaging thru clothing and other obscurants such as fog, clouds, smoke, sand, and dust. Therefore considerable interest exists in developing low cost millimeter-wave imaging (MMWI) systems. Previous MMWI systems have evolved from crude mechanically scanned, single element receiver systems into very complex multiple receiver camera systems. Initial systems required many expensive mmW integrated-circuit low-noise amplifiers. In order to reduce the cost and complexity of the existing systems, attempts have been made to develop new mmW imaging sensors employing direct detection arrays. In this paper, we report on Raytheon’s recent development of a unique focal plane array technology, which operates broadly from the mmW through the sub-mmW/THz region. Raytheon’s innovative nano-antenna based detector enables low cost production of 2D staring mmW focal plane arrays (mmW FPA), which not only have equivalent sensitivity and performance to existing MMWI systems, but require no mechanical scanning.

Date Published: 4 June 2013
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 8725, Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications V, 872526 (4 June 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2016603

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8725:
Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications V
Thomas George; M. Saif Islam; Achyut K. Dutta, Editor(s)