Mm wave and THz imaging using very inexpensive neon-indicator lamp detector focal-plane arrays

Development of focal plane arrays (FPA) for mm wavelength and THz radiation is presented in this paper. The FPA is based upon inexpensive neon indicator lamp Glow Discharge Detectors (GDDs) that serve as pixels in the FPA. It was shown in previous investigations that inexpensive neon indicator lamps GDDs are quite sensitive to mm wavelength and THz radiation. The diameter of GDD lamps are typically 3-6 mm and thus the FPA can be diffraction limited. Development of an FPA using such devices as detectors is advantageous since the costs of such a lamp is around 30-50 cents per lamp, and it is a room temperature detector sufficiently fast for video frame rates. Recently a new 8×8 GDD FPA VLSI board was designed, constructed, and experimentally tested. First THz images as well as DSP methods using this GDD FPA are demonstrated. Super resolution was achieved by moving the 8×8 pixel board appropriately in the image plane so that 32×32 pixel images are also obtained and shown here, with much improved image quality because of much reduced pixelization distortion.