| Sensing and imaging technologies using terahertz (THz) radiation have found diverse applications as they approach maturity. Since the burgeoning of this technique in the 1990's, many THz sensing and imaging investigations have been designed and conducted in transmission geometry, which provides sufficient phase and amplitude contrast for the study of the spectral properties of targets in the THz domain. Driven by rising expectations that THz technology will be a potential candidate in the next generation of security screening, remote sensing, biomedical imaging and non-destructive testing (NDT), most THz sensing and imaging modalities are being extended to reflection geometry, which offers unique and adaptive solutions, and multi-dimensional information in many real scenarios. This thesis takes an application-focused approach to the advancement of THz wave reflective sensing and imaging systems:; The absorption signature of the explosive material hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5triazine (RDX) is measured at 30 m---the longest standoff distance so far attained by THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The standoff distance sensing ability of THz-TDS is investigated along with discussions specifying the influences of a variety of factors such as propagation distance, water vapor absorption and collection efficiency.; Highly directional THz radiation from four-wave mixing in laser-induced air plasmas is first observed and measured, which provides a potential solution for the atmospheric absorption effect in standoff THz sensing. The simulations of the beam profiles also illuminate the underlying physics behind the interaction of the optical beam with the plasma.; THz wave reflective spectroscopic focal-plane imaging is realized the first time. Absorption features of some explosives and related compounds (ERCs) and biochemical materials are identified by using adaptive feature extraction method. Good classification results using multiple pattern recognition methods are achieved.; One of the most important industrialized applications of THz imaging technique---NDT of the space shuttle thermal-protection system is demonstrated the first time by using both pulsed and continuous wave (CW) THz radiation sources. Most defects with different types, sizes and locations are unambiguously identified and distinguished. |
