Radiative near-field links have gained noticeable interests recently for high-data-rate wireless communication. Unlike far-field links, near-field links can have negligible path loss within hundreds of meters for electrically large antennas at high frequencies. In this work, we propose a multi-lens quasi-optical (QO) system for 100-m near-field backhaul communication at H-band. The QO system is designed with compact size (aspect ratio of 1.3:1) and high coupling efficiency of 82%. Moreover, the rotation of an auxiliary lens realizes beam scanning for the link alignment. The scan range is in the order of 1 m with less than 2 dB scanning coupling loss and scanning magnification of 14.5:1.

Photoconductive antennas (PCAs) are promising candidates for sensing and imaging applications. In recent years, our group has investigated their properties under pulsed laser illumination in transmission using a time-domain (TD) Norton equivalent circuit. Here, we extend this analysis to the link between a photoconductive source and a receiver introducing for the latter a second TD Norton equivalent circuit. We also evaluate the transfer function of a dispersive quasi-optical (QO) link. Specifically, a field correlation approach based on the high-frequency techniques is used to evaluate the spectral transfer function between two bow-tie-based PCAs, including the QO link. The detected currents in the receiving circuit are reconstructed using stroboscopic sampling of the modeled THz pulses, equivalent to what is actually performed by THz TD systems. Both the amplitude and the waveforms of these currents are evaluated. The QO link is then experimentally characterized to validate the proposed methodology. The comparison between the simulations and the measurements is excellent.

In this contribution, we describe a reconfigurable surface, designed in 130um SiGe technology, to realize a fully-electronic, planar chopper aiming at passive terahertz imaging applications. This surface consists of subwavelength metallic patches that are interconnected using FET-based varactors. By switching the bias voltage of the varactors between 0V and 1.2V, the reconfigurable surface can switch between a transmissive and opaque state, respectively. The expected transmissivity is simulated to be between 0.2 and 0.9 over a wide frequency band, from 250 GHz to 550 GHz. This chopping solution would enable a high degree of system integration for future passive terahertz cameras.

The use of lens arrays in (sub)-millimeter sensing and communication applications will enable the development of integrated antenna front-ends with multiple independent beams as well as dynamic scanning capabilities. In applications such as MIMO communications, interferometric arrays, and Tx/Rx duplexing capabilities, a key parameter is the mutual coupling between the integrated antenna front-ends. In this work, we model such mutual coupling using a geometrical optics (GO) technique combined with bi-directional forward ray tracing. In this model, the mutual coupling is estimated by considering up to secondary reflections in lens array geometries. The proposed technique is then used to investigate the mutual coupling for low and high-density lens arrays as a function of feed locations. The accuracy of the model is also investigated in comparison to full wave simulations and measured data reaching a sufficient agreement to identify the regions within lens arrays with critical mutual coupling levels.

This article introduces a novel transmit lens array with beam-steering capabilities for submillimeter-wave space instruments. The transmit array consists of two sparse silicon lens antenna arrays connected by a waveguide array, in which active components can potentially be integrated, arranged in a hexagonal grid. The upper lens array is mechanically actuated to achieve dynamic beam-steering. The bottom lens array is fed coherently by a quasi-optical (QO) power distribution lens antenna. This antenna is capable of distributing power to a multipixel lens array in a hexagonal configuration with a power coupling efficiency of approximately 60%. The transmit lens array and QO power distribution lens antennas are based on a recently developed multimode leaky-wave feed, which results in lens antenna aperture efficiencies of nearly 80%. A model based on high-frequency techniques has been implemented to design and optimize the complete architecture, allowing to evaluate its directivity and gain. We have fabricated and measured a prototype based on seven-lens elements with excellent agreement to the performances estimated by the model. This article demonstrates for the first time an array architecture that reaches 36 dBi directivity, 32 dBi gain, and +/-25° scanning with 3 dB scan loss over a 450-650 GHz band.

This contribution presents the measurement strategy to accurately characterize probe-fed high-gain antennas operating in the sub-THz band. First, a near-field technique employing a quasi-optical system is introduced to enable characterization of backside radiating antennas (with respect to the landing pads). The proposed setup employs classical manipulators for probe landing (i.e., above the structure) and linear xyz CNC controlled translation stage. After, the calibration and modelling techniques to allow for an accurate input reflection-coefficient at the antenna input plane, and the estimation of the antenna gain, in a near field planar scanning system, are described in details. The experimental data of an high-gain backside-radiating lens antenna operating in D-band are presented to validate the proposed approach and characterization bench.

This contribution presents the development of an electrically small lens antenna using an artificially loaded thermoplastic at 140-170GHz. We will present the on-going development of the Fly’s Eye front end antenna concept that was presented in [1]. The antenna is composed on a dual plastic lens, a core lens and a shell lens, fed by a double slot. The core-lens, being presented in this contribution, is a spherical lens made from an artificially loaded plastic of permittivity 9.5. To the best of our knowledge, this thermoplastic material has not been used for lens antennas in this frequency range before. A 4mm lens prototype has been developed using this material, which includes an antireflective layer synthesized by drilling sub-wavelength holes on the lens contour. Full-wave simulations show a negligible degradation of the performance of the anti-reflection layer compared to an ideal homogeneous matching layer. Physical measurements and antenna measurements confirm that the antenna's performance matches the design specifications.

Terahertz heterodyne spectrometer instruments have been traditionally limited to a single pixel or a handful of pixels due to integration and assembly constraints and a limited availability of local oscillator (LO) power. As a solution we propose a novel silicon-micromachined planar and modular packaging strategy, that will allow for a dense integration of a large number of pixels. Moreover, the RF- and LO signals will be quasi-optically coupled via two identical but opposite lens arrays, such that a single LO-source can efficiently pump all HEB-mixers of the 2x2 pixel demonstrator array simultaneously. This work reports on an intermediate step, where we validate the lens array performance and LO power coupling efficiency, by slightly modifying the silicon package into a transmit array configuration. In this way, the LO power coupled into the stack is directly reradiated on the other side, which is then measured using a liquid helium cooled bolometer.

This article presents the development of a focal plane array (FPA) for terahertz imaging applications with a near diffraction-limited resolution achieved through a very tight sampling of the focal plane. The antenna array is integrated with direct detectors in a 22-nm CMOS technology and operates from 200 to 600 GHz. The tight sampling of the focal plane is realized by using a combination of leaky-wave radiation and a dual-polarized connected array configuration that closely resembles a chessboard. By utilizing both the polarizations in the chessboard design, the number of array elements per unit area is effectively doubled. The geometry of the chessboard array was co-optimized together with that of a silicon elliptical lens to achieve both high aperture efficiency and beam overlap. Measurements in the WR2.2 band of a fabricated demonstrator showed that an aperture efficiency of −4.1 dB was realized at 400 GHz. The average gain roll-off between two diagonally adjacent array elements was measured to be −1.5 dB at 400 GHz. Compared to the reference configuration of an idealized, equivalently sampled hexagonal FPA, the improvement in gain at the edge of coverage yields 1.2 dB, which includes 1.9 dB of ohmic losses in the chessboard array. The agreement between measurements and simulations proved to be within 1 dB from 325 to 475 GHz.

Photoconductive antennas (PCAs) are used for imaging and sensing applications because of their ability to radiate short pulses with large bandwidths in the THz regime. The characterization of PCAs has previously been done using a time-domain Norton equivalent circuit. Thanks to a recent contribution, the size of the excited photoconductive area of PCAs that results in an impedance match with the antenna can be determined analytically using only the available optical power and the material parameters of the photoconductor. Through the impedance matching, the radiated THz power is maximized. These insights are used for the dimensioning of a wide-band photoconductive connected array to be used in the low THz band, excited by a high power laser (∼1W).

In this paper, we present a quasi-optical power distribution architecture based on the use of an integrated lens antenna that generates a uniform aperture field distribution. By using such distribution in combination with an integrated lens array, an efficient and scalable quasi-optical power distribution can be achieved at THz frequencies. The proposed architecture is based on a leaky-wave waveguide feed that illuminates an elliptical lens with a top-hat distribution. This method can distribute the power from one antenna to a 7-pixel lens array in a hexagonal configuration with a power coupling efficiency of nearly 60%. This scheme could be potentially used for the local oscillator power distribution in heterodyne THz arrays. A prototype at 450-615GHz has been developed and characterized, achieving an aperture efficiency higher than 80%.

Photoconductive antennas (PCAs) are promising candidates for sensing and imaging systems. We have investigated their properties under pulsed laser illumination both in transmission and reception. First, a transmitting PCA has been characterized including a power measurement. Then, a Quasi-Optical (QO) link between a transmitter and a receiver was modelled and analyzed. In this work, we characterize this link with measurement. We use bow-tie based PCAs as examples, and measure the radiated power of the transmitter and the detected current of the receiver. The measurement shows very good agreement with the simulation.

Large format focal plane arrays (FPAs) of dielectric lenses are promising candidates for wide field-of-view submillimeter imagers. In this work, we optimize the scanning gain of such imagers via shaping lens surfaces. We develop an optimization procedure using a field correlation technique between the fields generated by a reflector on the top of the lenses and those generated by the lens feeds. Based on this procedure, an FPA of quartz lens antennas combined with leaky-wave feeds is designed to efficiently illuminate the reflector, achieving a directivity of 50.5 dBi up to scanning 20.3°. The obtained scanning gain loss of 2.6 dB is much lower than that associated with the direct fields coming from the reflector (about 6 dB). The proposed FPA is validated by full-wave simulations with excellent agreement. We have fabricated and measured an example shaped quartz lens optimized for the scanning angle of 20.3° at 180 GHz. The comparison between the simulations and the measurements also shows excellent agreement.

The continuous advancements in the coverage and sensitivity of terahertz direct-detector imagers places increasing constraints on the test benches needed for characterization. Already, relative differences on the order of a few decibels are observed between simulated and measured performance in the state-of-the-art literature. This contribution elaborates on our experimental strategies to maximize the characterization accuracy and precision of terahertz direct-detection imagers using a broadband, over-the-air measurement procedure. As a demonstration, four elements within a dense detector array were characterized in the WR2.2 band. By optimizing the modulation frequency in the setup for minimal impact of low-frequency noise and interference, a measurement dynamic range up to 30 dB was achieved, including the path loss over 20 cm. The hardware-to-model agreement of the characterized array is below 1 dB between 325 and 450 GHz.

State-of-the-art THz pulsed commercial systems operating over large bandwidth suffer from high dispersion or low radiation efficiency due to the poor coupling between the transmitter and receiver photoconductive antennas (PCAs). In this work, we present the fabrication and characterization of a leaky-lens PCA that has the potential to solve this problem. The presented PCA is based on a low-temperature grown gallium arsenide (LT-GaAs) membrane with a 1:15 bandwidth coverage (0.1-1.5 THz), where the frequency response is constant. In order to fabricate the PCA on an LT-GaAs membrane, a novel fabrication process is developed. This process is dramatically faster than previously used processes (∼1.5 h instead of ∼20 h). Furthermore, an experimental validation of the radiated power together with the comparison to a standard bow-tie-based PCA fabricated on the same LT-GaAs wafer is shown in this article. We show that the PCA source on the LT-GaAs membrane is more efficient due to the enhanced leaky wave radiation. The leaky-lens PCA stands out as a great candidate to improve the coupling efficiency in THz pulsed commercial systems, where the maximum laser power that can be used is limited by the dispersion in the optic fiber.