Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is a powerful tool for characterizing material properties that were experimentally inaccessible until recently. For multilayered systems, the signal presents echoes with characteristics related to the optical properties of each corresponding layer. However, if the layers are very thin, echoes in the time domain may overlap and more complex and specific methods of analysis should be used to calculate the optical properties of the samples. In this work, we implement four different reported methods for analyzing thin layered samples and we compare them to evaluate their capabilities and results.
Recent advances with THz technologies have been growing significantly. The study and development of THz technology require having different components such as reflectors, lenses, splitters, and waveguides. As THz waves can penetrate a wide variety of non-conductive materials such as polymers, 3D printing can generate these components quickly and inexpensively. In this work, we present the characterization of some thermoplastic materials commonly used in 3D printing with respect to different printing specifications of infill density and layer height. We characterize the refractive index and absorption coefficient of the samples in the THz range of 0.2 to 1 THz using a THz time-domain spectrometer.
Ultraviolet sources are of great interest to many research areas and their applications. From UV disinfection to UV spectroscopy, UV sources with different emission power and wavelengths are needed. Commercially available UV lamps may be arc-discharge, incandescent, or fluorescent lamps; however, their cost may reach thousands of US dollars. Furthermore, they do not always fulfill the needs of the application. For example, arc-discharge or incandescent lamps have a wide emission spectrum forcing the use of different expensive filters for the applications needing a narrower emission bandwidth. Moreover, high emission power could not be desirable to biomedical research and applications due to associated damage with ultraviolet light. LEDs may solve the aforementioned issues; however, a single LED is clearly not a solution if a broad spectrum is needed. In this work, we present the design and characterization of a homemade LED-based UV source with variable emission in terms of power and wavelength. The source is constructed with five different LEDs in the UVA interval, covering an spectral range from 355 to 395 nm. An Arduino unit controls the source, allowing the user to select the emission of only one or the sum of a set of LEDs with desired wavelengths, extending the bandwidth. Finally, we present an analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed source for different optical applications.
Chronic ulcers are skin wounds, which have severe repercussions for patients regarding mobility restriction and economic problems. Nowadays, no technique allows to evaluate the evolution of ulcers' healing process in clinical practice consistently. UV fluorescence excitation photography can provide spatial and temporal information on molecular and structural changes, providing an objective means for evaluating the healing process. In this work, the UV intrinsic fluorescence from the reepithelization process was imaged in an in vivo wound animal model. Scan imaging process and imaging misalignments were emulated. We evaluated SURF and RANSAC algorithms for stitching low-intensity and low contrast images. The evaluated algorithms could identify up to 16 common characteristics in contiguous images with a 20% overlap area. The maximum error found in the stitching process in an 18-day healing period was 1.69%.
We study images from THz electromagnetic waves reflected in porcine skin samples ex-vivo. The THz images were taken sequentially for a period of time after glycerin was applied to the tissue samples. THz imaging is especially sensitive to the water content of any system. Given that glycerin acts like a de-hydration agent, its concentration and diffusion can be determined observing the THz response. In this work, we process the THz sequential images in order to evaluate the diffusion of the material within the sample. We apply image processing techniques to calculate changes in the area of interaction of glycerin and tissue with respect to time. We also analyze the changes on glycerin concentration as function of time and space using a numerical approach based on a finite-difference algorithm. Obtained results of the diffusion coefficient are in agreement with the reported values in the literature.
We use a Monte-Carlo model to simulate semi-classical photo-carrier dynamics on bulk InAs, InGaAs and GaAs that leads to terahertz emission after ultrafast photoexcitation. This detailed model has allowed us to understand various aspects of the THz emission process, including the near-field distribution which has been experimentally observed, the role of the excess excitation photon energy, and the relative importance of the surface field driven, diffusive (photo-Dember) and ballistic currents.
In order to understand the near-field emission we coupled a finite-difference time-domain routine to the carrier dynamics simulation, by doing this, we were able to analyse the near terahertz field emission caused by the motion of such carriers even when the excitation is performed at normal incidence. We found that both the current parallel, which has traditionally been assumed not to take part in the emission, and normal to the interface take a relevant role in the terahertz generation. We performed another set of simulations for different bandgaps and excitation-photon energies in order to compare the emission power of all three semiconductors as function of excitation photon energy finding that the carrier excess excitation energy is more relevant to explain their performance difference than their motilities. We conclude that ballistic transport after photoexcitation is the dominant mechanism for terahertz emission instead of diffusion driven or surface field driven charge separation, which were traditionally considered the most relevant mechanisms.
In this work, the development of a technique for the early diagnosis of diabetic foot using terahertz spectroscopic images is presented. The degree of hydration of the skin on the sole of the foot of diabetic and non-diabetic subjects was obtained and related to the degree of deterioration. The hydration information was coded in three- color (red, yellow and greed) images which allow to easily identify areas in risk of ulceration. The hydration images together with the three-color images represent a quantitative indicator of the deterioration caused by the diabetic foot syndrome.
We use terahertz time domain imaging for the evaluation of the effects of skin-moisturizers in vivo. We evaluate three principal substances used in commercial moisturizers: glycerin, hyaluronic acid and lanolin. We image the interaction of the forearm with each of the substances taking terahertz spectra at sequential times. With this, we are able to measure the effect of the substances on the hydration level of the skin in time, determining the feasibility of using THz imaging for the evaluation of the products and their effects on the hydration levels of the skin.
Today's room temperature microbolometers focal plane arrays are the most widespread technology for the registration of
thermal images. Other attempts to develop detection systems are based on the idea of converting the thermal
information into visible. Thermal to visible converters try to achieve the possibility of "detecting" thermal radiation
with common visible detectors. The development of these converters may provide IR and thermal detection methods for
specific thermal imaging applications without excessive investment. Previously, we have proposed a conversion method
based on temperature dependence of the fluorescence emission of a europium-doped complex. Here, we present the
analysis of the temporal response of the sensing element and we also specify the desirable thermal and physical
characteristics of such element in order to allow thermal to visible conversion in real time. With the analysis of the
frequency response of the EuTTA fluorescence, we find that the emission presents a response that allows dynamic
conversion. Furthermore, we analyze the thermal-transient response of the sensing element of the converter. Based on
heat transfer simulation of a pixel of the sensing element, we establish the characteristics that the thermal design should
fulfill in order to have efficient heat transfer in a dynamic converter.
We are developing a system to convert infrared into visible radiation, employing β-diketonate chelate europium (III)
thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (EuTTA) as the active medium of conversion. The operational principle of the proposed
device is based on the variation of EuTTA fluorescence spectral power and lifetime with temperature. Previously, we
characterized the fluorescence properties of the EuTTA in order to achieve IR-to-visible conversion and presented the
work performed in order to calibrate our experimental setup. The results showed that a relation between the temperature
variations of EuTTA film and those of the impinging IR radiation could be established. However, experimental data
exhibited sufficient noise to cause significant errors between the measured and the actual temperature. In this work, we
apply a filtering analysis using Fourier theory in order reduce the error in the data, increasing the resolution of our
system. After the filtering, the standard deviation in the calculation of fluorescence parameters was reduced and
therefore the thermal resolution of our system improved to 0.07 K.
Previously, we measured temperature variations employing the spectral power and lifetime of the β-diketonate chelate
europium (III) thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (EuTTA). The main goal of our work is to develop a system to convert infrared into
visible radiation with EuTTA as the active medium of conversion. Here, we calibrate the fluorescence properties of EuTTA
and confirm the reliability of the calibration. We detect black body radiation which serves to change the local temperature
of the transducer, with our proposed system. When excited with UV radiation (365 nm), EuTTA fluoresces with its principal
emission peak at 615 nm. The changes in spectral power, P0(T), and mean lifetime,
τ(T), of the fluorescence are related
with the temperature change induced in the film due to the impinging black body radiation. We present the relative error and
temperature differences obtained between the calculated (with calibration) temperature and reference measurements.
Furthermore, we demonstrate that incoming radiation, which causes a temperature increase in the transducer (i.e. IR
radiation), can be detected through the changes in EuTTA fluorescence parameters.
We study the feasibility of using the fluorescence properties of the β-diketonate chelate europium (III)
thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (EuTTA) in order to achieve IR-to-visible conversion. Previously, we studied the dependence
of fluorescence power with temperature and suggested to use fluorescence properties of EuTTA in formation of thermal
images. Here we propose to employ the correlation between two fluorescence parameters and the impinging IR
radiation, in order to assess temperature distributions. We are developing a self-referenced system to convert infrared
into visible radiation, employing EuTTA as the active medium of conversion. The operational principle of the proposed
device is based on the variation of EuTTA fluorescence spectral power and lifetime with temperature. In this work, we
perform a feasibility evaluation of the system, obtaining figures of merit of the proposed device, including sensitivity,
noise, and thermal resolution.
We characterize the fluorescence of Europium Thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (EuTTA) with respect to temperature for its use in formation of thermal images. Current applications of EuTTA are for the measurement of temperature distribution of systems in contact with it. With this work we extend its applications to include measuring temperature changes due to thermal irradiation. We characterize the EuTTA's fluorescence obtaining a sensitivity of 2.2 % K-1 at 300 K. Minimum resolvable temperature difference ΔTmin for layout is 0.09 K, at same temperature, in our laboratory. We deposit a thin film of the material over an aluminum sheet and use a laser to generate heat over its surface. The EuTTA's fluorescence response to the incident heat is measured with a fiber optic spectrometer. We compare the measured thermal response to heat transfer model of our device. Measured thermal response to constant heat irradiation is 1.86 K. Thermal responses to heat pulses with duration of 1 and 5 seconds are 0.2 K and 0.78 K, correspondingly. We measure the variation of fluorescence due to constant heat input, and to heat pulses of duration of 1 and 5 seconds.
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