The use of terahertz pulses for imaging has opened new possibilities for scientific and industrial applications in the terahertz frequency range. In this article, we describe the technology necessary to perform terahertz "T-ray" imaging, novel imaging techniques, and commercial applications of T-ray imaging.

We propose a simple model based on the Drude–Lorentz theory of carrier transport to account for the details of the ultrashort terahertz pulses radiated from small photoconductive semiconductor antennas. The dynamics of the bias field under the influence of the space-charge field from the accelerated carriers is included in the model. We consider in detail the optical system used to image the terahertz radiation onto the terahertz detector, and we calculate the frequency-dependent response of the detector. The proposed model is compared with several different experiments, each focusing on different parameters of the model. Agreement between experiment and model is found in all cases, supporting the validity of this simple and appropriate model.

A time-domain chemical-recognition system for classifying gases and analyzing gas mixtures is presented. We analyze the free induction decay exhibited by gases excited by far-infrared (terahertz) pulses in the time domain, using digital signal-processing techniques. A simple geometric picture is used for the classification of the waveforms measured for unknown gas species. We demonstrate how the recognition system can be used to determine the partial pressures of an ammonia–water gas mixture.