A wave propagation model for a terahertz single pixel camera

Spatially resolved terahertz measurements usually require either mechanical scanning, large and expensive detector arrays, or a combination thereof. So called single pixel cameras (SPCs), consisting mainly of a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a single pixel detector, provide an alternative approach. The SLM is a dynamically reconfigurable spatial filter. For a successful image acquisition, the setup, and especially the behaviour of the SLM, needs to be physically well-understood. According to the abovementioned requirements, a wave propagation model for a transmission imaging configuration was developed. It is capable of predicting signal values at the single pixel detector for a given wavelength, spatial filter configuration and detector position. The developed model is presented here and verified using a 0.345 THz SPC setup.