Flexible omnidirectional terahertz imaging inspection chips by controlling the optical and thermal properties of carbon nanotubes

Abstract

With the widespread adoption of advanced industrial products and infrastructure, there is an urgent need to create sensing technologies to ensure the reliability and safety of products and structures in various environments. Imaging techniques using terahertz (THz) electromagnetic waves are expected to be one of the promising methods for non-destructive inspection of objects. Currently, there is a need for a versatile and easy to use THz measurement system like the ones for the visible light range. This paper presents a flexible omnidirectional THz imaging chip based on a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) film and its inspection applications. By tuning and optimizing the physical parameters related to the detection performance of the CNT THz sensor, we developed a flexible omnidirectional THz imager and a wearable THz inspection glove. These technologies enabled a highly flexible nondestructive inspection that is not limited by the shape of the objects or the measurement environment.