Fast readout of innovative glow discharge detector focal plane arrays for affordable millimeter wave imaging: design, implementation, and advancements

This study introduces an affordable approach to developing a millimeter-wave (MMW) focal plane array (FPA) using glow discharge detectors (GDDs) with rapid readout capabilities. The system investigates the effect of MMW incidence on GDD discharge current and employs a scanning mechanism with a step motor for sub-pixel imaging. The experimental setup features an 8x8 FPA with 64 GDD detectors, MMW source, optical components, and a data acquisition platform. Leveraging electrical detection and a signal processing algorithm, the system captures low-intensity MMW signals with each GDD value corresponding to a pixel in the image. The Fourier transform (FFT) is used to extract information from the modulated signals. The FPA demonstrated an improved imaging duration, reducing acquisition time by 75% compared to prior studies, with an 8x8 image captured in just 4 seconds. Responsivity was measured at 21.8 V/W, detecting signals as weak as 0.95 nW. These advancements offer significant benefits for time-sensitive applications like security and dynamic object tracking. The study proposes enhancing resolution through larger arrays and integrating image processing with AI techniques to further improve performance. This research provides a cost-effective solution for MMW imaging, addressing existing detector limitations.