No Arabic abstract
A new approach for image reconstruction in THz computed tomography (THz-CT) is presented. Based on a geometrical optics model containing the THz signal amplitude and phase, a novel algorithm for extracting an average phase from the measured THz signals is derived. Applying the algorithm results in a phase-contrast sinogram, which is further used for image reconstruction. For experimental validation, a fast THz time-domain spectrometer (THz-TDS) in transmission geometry is employed, enabling CT measurements within several minutes. Quantitative evaluation of reconstructed 3D printed plastic profiles reveals the potential of our approach in non-destructive testing of plastic profiles.
Phase-contrast X-ray imaging can improve the visibility of weakly absorbing objects (e.g. soft tissues) by an order of magnitude or more compared to conventional radiographs. Previously, it has been shown that combining phase retrieval with computed tomography (CT) can increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by up to two orders of magnitude over conventional CT at the same radiation dose, without loss of image quality. Our experiments reveal that as radiation dose decreases, the relative improvement in SNR increases. We discovered this enhancement can be traded for a reduction in dose greater than the square of the gain in SNR. Upon reducing the dose 300 fold, the phase-retrieved SNR was still almost 10 times larger than the absorption contrast data. This reveals the potential for dose reduction factors in the tens of thousands without loss in image quality, which would have a profound impact on medical and industrial imaging applications.
In this paper, we consider the imaging problem of terahertz (THz) tomography, in particular as it appears in non-destructive testing. We derive a nonlinear mathematical model describing a full THz tomography experiment, and consider linear approximations connecting THz tomography with standard computerized tomography and the Radon transform. Based on the derived models we propose different reconstruction approaches for solving the THz tomography problem, which we then compare on experimental data obtained from THz measurements of a plastic sample.
This novel work investigates the influence of the inspection system acceleration on the leakage signal in magnetic flux leakage type of non-destructive testing. The research is addressed both through designed experiments and simulations. The results showed that the leakage signal, represented by using peak to peak value, decreases between 20% and 30% under acceleration. The simulation results indicated that the main reason for the decrease is due to the difference in the distortion of the magnetic field for cases with and without acceleration, which is the result of the different eddy current distributions in the specimen. The findings will help to allow the optimisation of the MFL system to ensure the main defect features can be measured accurately during the machine acceleration. It also shows the importance of conducting measurements at constant velocity, wherever possible.
Full phase control of THz emitting quantum cascade laser (QCL) combs has recently been demonstrated, opening new perspectives for even the most demanding applications. In this framework, simplifying the set-ups for control of these devices will help to accelerate their spreading in many fields. We report a new way to control the emission frequencies of a THz QCL comb by small optical frequency tuning (SOFT), using a very simple experimental setup, exploiting the incoherent emission of an ordinary white light emitting diode. The slightly perturbative regime accessible in these condition allows tweaking the complex refractive index of the semiconductor without destabilizing the broadband laser gain. The SOFT actuator is characterized and compared to another actuator, the QCL driving current. The suitability of this additional degree of freedom for frequency and phase stabilization of a THz QCL comb is shown and perspectives are discussed.
In this work, the SLM-based phase retrieval system will be used to inspect carbon reinforced plastics samples (CFRP) under applying a thermal load. For this purpose, the system is used to capture a sequence of 8 spatially separated recording planes, where the distance between subsequent planes equals 2 mm. For detecting the hidden failures two sets of intensity observations are recorded. The first set for the initial state and the second set is captured after applying the load. To recover the phase information associated with the two states, the captured intensities have been subjected to an iterative algorithm based on the method of generalized projection.