Print Email Facebook Twitter 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser Title 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser Author Gan, Yuner (SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) Mirzaei, B. (TU Delft ImPhys/Optics; TU Delft QN/Gao Lab; SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research) Silva, Jose R.G. (SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) Khalatpour, Ali (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Hu, Qing (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Groppi, Christopher (Arizona State University) Siles, Jose V. (NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory) van der Tak, Floris (SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen) Gao, J.R. (TU Delft QN/Gao Lab; SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research) Date 2019 Abstract Large heterodyne receiver arrays (~100 pixel) allow astronomical instrumentations to map more area within limited space mission lifetime. One challenge is to generate multiple local oscillator (LO) beams. Here, we succeeded in generating 81 beams at 3.86 THz by combining a reflective, metallic Fourier grating with an unidirectional antenna coupled 3rd-order distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL). We have measured the diffracted 81 beams by scanning a single pyroelectric detector at a plane, which is in the far field for the diffraction beams. The measured output beam pattern agrees well with a simulated result from COMSOL Multiphysics, with respect to the angular distribution and power distribution among the 81 beams. We also derived the diffraction efficiency to be 94 ± 3%, which is very close to what was simulated for a manufactured Fourier grating (97%). For an array of equal superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers, 64 out of 81 beams can pump the HEB mixers with similar power, resulting in receiver sensitivities within 10%. Such a combination of a Fourier grating and a QCL can create an LO with 100 beams or more, enabling a new generation of large heterodyne arrays for astronomical instrumentation. To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f6a4e3c1-9bc0-4a7b-9796-bf0db6c607b9 DOI https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.27.034192 ISSN 1094-4087 Source Optics Express, 27 (23), 34192-34203 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2019 Yuner Gan, B. Mirzaei, Jose R.G. Silva, Ali Khalatpour, Qing Hu, Christopher Groppi, Jose V. Siles, Floris van der Tak, J.R. Gao Files PDF oe_27_23_34192.pdf 4.03 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f6a4e3c1-9bc0-4a7b-9796-bf0db6c607b9/datastream/OBJ/view