Terahertz research, imaging, and instrumentation

**Terahertz imaging, instrumentation and computational methods**

Research across the complete terahertz chain, from electromagnetic components and measurement systems to image reconstruction, material characterisation and application-led validation.

Terahertz and sub-terahertz waves open a distinctive measurement window between electronics and photonics. They can interact with dielectric materials, layered structures, composites, biological samples and cultural heritage objects without the ionising radiation associated with X-rays. Turning that potential into reliable information, however, requires much more than an instrument alone. Resolution, penetration, contrast, acquisition time, sample geometry and reconstruction are tightly linked.

Jean-Paul Guillet's research at the University of Bordeaux and the IMS Laboratory addresses these links as a complete experimental and computational chain. The work ranges from antennas, sensors, guided propagation and electromagnetic design to THz time-domain spectroscopy, FMCW radarFMCW radar transmits a continuously swept frequency and measures the beat signal produced by delayed reflections, enabling distance, thickness, and depth-resolved imaging with compact coherent hardware. More, real-time imaging and near-field microscopy. Signal processing and computational imaging methods then convert raw measurements into interpretable information, including layer responses, surface profiles, material contrasts, tomographic volumes and morphological descriptors.

This system-level approach has supported research in non-destructive testing, aeronautical composites, additive manufacturing, paintings and historical materials, exploratory biomedical imaging, geosciences and electronic failure analysis. The objective is not to apply the same instrument to every problem, but to identify which combination of frequency range, acquisition geometry and processing method can answer a specific scientific or engineering question.

**Expertise** presents the research capabilities used to define and solve measurement problems, including terahertz imaging, FMCW radarFMCW radar transmits a continuously swept frequency and measures the beat signal produced by delayed reflections, enabling distance, thickness, and depth-resolved imaging with compact coherent hardware. More, THz-TDS, computational imaging, components and antennas, and signal processing.

**Applications** shows how those capabilities have been evaluated on real classes of samples and questions, from contactless inspection to heritage science and exploratory biological studies.

**Technologies** explains the physical and instrumental foundations behind the work: time-domain systems, coherent radar, tomography, phase retrieval, photoconductive antennas, waveguides and augmented-reality interfaces.

The portfolio brings together peer-reviewed research, doctoral supervision, collaborative projects and experimental demonstrators. Recent directions include advanced reconstruction for 3D terahertz tomography, faster and more quantitative FMCW inspection, compact guided reflectometry, sub-THz antenna design and tangible interfaces that connect physical experiments with real-time digital information.

The Publications section provides an editorial route through this work. Instead of presenting bibliography alone, each publication page should explain the question addressed, the experimental or computational approach, the main contribution and its place within the wider research programme. Project pages provide the complementary context: why a development was undertaken, which capabilities it connected and what it demonstrated.

New collaborations can begin with a sample that is difficult to inspect, a need for non-contact measurement, a component or antenna concept, an imaging limitation, an inverse problem or a new teaching instrument. An initial exchange should establish the question, the expected information, the available samples or reference data and the constraints that will shape a meaningful feasibility study.

Jean-Paul Guillet is an associate professor at the University of Bordeaux and a researcher at the IMS Laboratory. His work connects terahertz instrumentation, electromagnetic components, computational imaging, material characterization, and application-oriented studies.

This draft homepage presents a research portfolio built around the complete terahertz chain: components and antennas, experimental systems, data processing, imaging, spectroscopy, and applications.

Expertise

Explore terahertz expertise, including FMCW radarFMCW radar transmits a continuously swept frequency and measures the beat signal produced by delayed reflections, enabling distance, thickness, and depth-resolved imaging with compact coherent hardware. More, THz-TDS, computational imaging, components, antennas, and signal processing.

Application-driven research

Application studies include non-destructive testing, cultural heritage, exploratory biomedical imaging, aeronautics, geosciences, and electronics failure analysis.

Selected publication themes

Linear to radial polarization conversion in the THz domain using a passive system — DOI
Near-field wire-based passive probe antenna for the selective detection of the longitudinal electric field at terahertz frequencies — DOI
Continuous‐wave scanning terahertz near‐field microscope — DOI
Coupling and Propagation of Sommerfeld Waves at 100 and 300 GHz — DOI
Propagation beam consideration for 3D THz computed tomography — DOI

Build a collaboration

Research groups, companies, museums, instrumentation teams, and prospective students can review the collaboration pathways or make contact.