Enhanced terahertz imaging system performance analysis and design tool for concealed weapon identification

Steven R. Murrill; Charmaine C. Franck; Richard L. Espinola; Douglas T. Petkie; Frank C. De Lucia; Eddie L. Jacobs

doi:10.1117/12.898371

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27 October 2011 Enhanced terahertz imaging system performance analysis and design tool for concealed weapon identification

Steven R. Murrill, Charmaine C. Franck, Richard L. Espinola, Douglas T. Petkie, Frank C. De Lucia, Eddie L. Jacobs

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Proceedings Volume 8188, Millimetre Wave and Terahertz Sensors and Technology IV; 81880J (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.898371
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the U.S. Army Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) have developed a terahertz-band imaging system performance model/tool for detection and identification of concealed weaponry. The details of the MATLAB-based model which accounts for the effects of all critical sensor and display components, and for the effects of atmospheric attenuation, concealment material attenuation, and active illumination, were reported on at the 2005 SPIE Europe Security & Defence Symposium (Brugge). An advanced version of the base model that accounts for both the dramatic impact that target and background orientation can have on target observability as related to specular and Lambertian reflections captured by an active-illumination-based imaging system, and for the impact of target and background thermal emission, was reported on at the 2007 SPIE Defense and Security Symposium (Orlando). This paper will provide a comprehensive review of an enhanced, user-friendly, Windows-executable, terahertz-band imaging system performance analysis and design tool that now includes additional features such as a MODTRAN-based atmospheric attenuation calculator and advanced system architecture configuration inputs that allow for straightforward performance analysis of active or passive systems based on scanning (single- or line-array detector element(s)) or staring (focal-plane-array detector elements) imaging architectures. This newly enhanced THz imaging system design tool is an extension of the advanced THz imaging system performance model that was developed under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's (DARPA) Terahertz Imaging Focal-Plane Technology (TIFT) program. This paper will also provide example system component (active-illumination source and detector) trade-study analyses using the new features of this user-friendly THz imaging system performance analysis and design tool.

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Steven R. Murrill, Charmaine C. Franck, Richard L. Espinola, Douglas T. Petkie, Frank C. De Lucia, and Eddie L. Jacobs "Enhanced terahertz imaging system performance analysis and design tool for concealed weapon identification", Proc. SPIE 8188, Millimetre Wave and Terahertz Sensors and Technology IV, 81880J (27 October 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.898371

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