Abstract
For optical frequencies, there are systems known from the prior art which not only make it possible to represent an object two-dimensionally, but also detect it three-dimensionally, in other words to determine the distance between the object and the detector for individual pixels. In contrast, the object of the present invention is to provide a system and a method for detecting an object three-dimensionally using high-frequency electromagnetic radiation at a frequency in a range of 100 GHz to 10 THz. According to the invention, this object is met by a system for detecting an object three-dimensionally using high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, the system comprising a radiation source for radiating high frequency radiation at a frequency in a range of 100 GHz to 10 THz, a receiver for detecting the high frequency radiation emitted from the radiation source, said receiver comprising an antenna element and a field effect transistor for mixing the high frequency radiation emitted by the radiation source with a local oscillator signal, wherein the field effect transistor comprises a source, a drain and a gate, and comprising a signal source for generating an electric modulation signal, wherein the signal source is connected to the radiation source in such a way that the high frequency radiation can be modulated by the modulation signal, and wherein the signal source is connected to the gate of the field effect transistor in such a way that the sensitivity of the field effect transistor can be modulated using a local oscillator signal coupled at a fixed phase to the modulation signal.