Improvement of the depth resolution of swept-source THz-OCT for non-destructive inspection

Abstract

We construct a terahertz swept source optical coherence tomography system using a continuous-wave diode multiplier source in the 600-GHz band for defect inspection in multilayer objects and evaluate its performance. Using this system, we image a multilayer plastic sample to demonstrate the effectiveness of nondestructive three-dimensional imaging. To enhance the depth resolution, we apply an annihilating filter to the analysis and confirm that two surfaces of a 1-mm-thick plastic plate can be resolved. In addition, the repeatability of measured thicknesses is 0.22 mm. These values are approximately one-half and one-tenth of the resolution achievable by conventional Fourier analysis, respectively.