The PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics (PRIMA) is an astrophysics mission concept currently under study. The instrument comprises four focal plane arrays (FPAs), each with over 1000 pixels, consisting of lens-coupled kinetic inductance detectors designed for ultra-high sensitivity spectroscopy and imaging. PRIMA covers the far-infrared band from 24 to 250 μm. We present the fundamental properties of lens-coupled absorbers, including aperture efficiency, throughput, and beam patterns. Compared with bare absorbers, lens-coupled absorbers exhibit reduced sensitivity to noise from both the instrument enclosure and the sky background. We analyze FPA sampling strategies in terms of relative observing speed, considering both detector noise–limited and background noise–limited scenarios. In the background noise–limited case, near-maximum-gain sampling is optimal only when the point spread function (PSF) in the reflector focal plane is aligned with the lens. For arbitrary PSF incidence, a near-Nyquist sampling configuration provides the best average performance. These calculations are based on a computationally efficient quasi-analytical technique and assume a hex-packed array of circular lenses, recently developed for PRIMA.

The development of a low focal number and low-mass lens antenna is presented that enables terahertz spectroscopy applications on ultracompact platforms. The antenna operates efficiently over a 20% fractional bandwidth, from 450 to 550 GHz, with a gain of 50 dBi at 500 GHz. The antenna consists of a hyperbolic silicon lens that is placed in a record low focal number configuration (f_#=0.27) with respect to an advanced waveguide feed. An incident field-matching analysis is applied to investigate the optimal feed radiation pattern that maximizes the lens aperture efficiency, which would result in a 20% increase in aperture efficiency (> 80%) with respect to a standard open-ended waveguide (< 60% aperture efficiency). A multilayer leaky-wave (LW) stratification is quasi-analytically optimized to approximate the optimal feeding pattern, resulting in a >70% lens aperture efficiency. An example LW stratification is synthesized using silicon micromachining technology and is fully characterized in combination with the dielectric lens.

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%.

This article presents a low-loss silicon microelectrical mechanical system (MEMS) phase shifter operating in the 500-600 GHz band. The phase shifter consists of a \text{30-}\mu \text{m} thick perforated silicon slab that is moved in and out of a waveguide in the E-plane with a large deflection MEMS actuator. By implementing different hexagonal patterns in the silicon slab, a stepped permittivity is created to impedance match, and thus, reduce return loss. When the silicon slab is inserted into the waveguide, the phase velocity of the incoming wave is decreased, thus resulting in different phase shifts depending on the position of the slab inside the waveguide. The MEMS phase shifter is fully actuated at around 50\,{\text{V}} and can move up to \pm 95\,\mu \text{m}, depending on the applied voltage. The insertion loss, when the maximum phase shift is achieved, is measured to be \text{1.8}\,\text{dB}, compared to a 1.6\text{-}\text{dB} insertion loss for a waveguide of equivalent length. The return loss is better than \text{18}\,\text{dB} for the desired band. The measured phase shift, with the slab fully inserted into the waveguide at \text{550}\,\text{GHz} was 145^\circ. The MEMS phase shifter enables a variety of applications including phased array antenna systems with scanning capability for mapping of planetary surfaces with an electronically steerable antenna.

In this article, we propose a hybrid electromechanical scanning lens antenna array architecture suitable for the steering of highly directive beams at submillimeter wavelengths with field-of-views (FoV) of ±25°. The concept relies on combining electronic phase shifting of a sparse array with a mechanical translation of a lens array. The use of a sparse-phased array significantly simplifies the RF front-end (number of active components, routing, thermal problems), while the translation of a lens array steers the element patterns to angles off-broadside, reducing the impact of grating lobes over a wide FoV. The mechanical translation required for the lens array is also significantly reduced compared to a single large lens, leading to faster and low-power mechanical implementation. In order to achieve wide bandwidth and large steering angles, a novel leaky wave lens feed concept is also implemented. A 550-GHz prototype was fabricated and measured demonstrating the scanning capabilities of the embedded element pattern and the radiation performance of the leaky wave fed antenna.

It is difficult to package and interconnect components and devices at millimeter-waves (mm-waves) due to excessive losses experiences at these frequencies using traditional techniques. The problem is multiplied manifold at terahertz (THz) frequencies. In this article, we review the current state of THz packaging and describe several novel techniques. As we will show, micromachined packaging is emerging as one of the best choices for developing advanced THz systems.

NASA's Planetary Science Decadal Survey has concluded that isotopic measurements of cometary water vapor are a means to unraveling the mysteries involving the origin of Earth's water and the evolution of our solar system. To support this, a recent Jet Propulsion Laboratory internal research program has developed quantum limited superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receivers in the important 500-600 GHz submillimeter frequency band. These instruments can be used to detect the deuterated water (HDO) ground state (110-101), H216O ortho ground state (110-101), and the oxygen isotopologues H217O and H218O with exquisite sensitivity. To achieve the presented results, we have investigated aluminum oxide (AlOx) and aluminum nitride (AlNx) barrier SIS tunnel junction mixers on the 6-μm silicon-on-insulator substrate. The AlOx and AlNx junction mixer blocks utilize diagonal and smooth-profile conical horns, respectively. In both cases, a commercial 4-8-GHz intermediate frequency low-noise amplifier (LNA) has been integrated into the mixer block. The AlOx (low-current-density) barrier SIS junctions were fabricated with 2-μm gold beam-lead technology, whereas in the case of the AlNx SIS tunnel junction, we use capacitive RF decoupling tabs. The latter approach simplifies fabrication, increases yield, eases the mounting process, and facilitates scaling to higher frequencies. For an actual flight mission, with operation ≤4.2 K, the allowed heat dissipation of the mixer-integrated LNA needs to be minimized. In this article, we also investigate the receiver sensitivity as a function of the LNA dc power consumption. We find that the dc power consumption of the LNA can be reduced to ∼1.6 mW with minimal loss in sensitivity. It is anticipated that the continued InP HEMT development for quantum computer applications are likely to reduce the required LNA power dissipation even further.

We have demonstrated corrugated horn antennas at 560 GHz fabricated with a deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process on silicon. The measurement of two of the ( 2 times 2)560 GHz array antenna has shown that the return loss and directivity are 13 dB and 22 dB, respectively. All of the measured antennas had below-25 dB of the cross-polarization and symmetrical beam patterns. The silicon microfabrication technique enables us to build hundreds of horn antennas at once, allowing construction of multi-pixel heterodyne imagers and spectrometers at submillimeter wavelengths.

In this review paper we explore different antenna technologies at terahertz frequencies for space science and other applications. We show that the antenna technologies generally used at lower frequencies are difficult to implement at terahertz frequencies. Additionally, one has to take a few extra steps and special care for designing antennas for space-based applications. In this paper, we review different design and implementation options for millimeter-wave and terahertz antennas for space applications. We detail how antenna design has to be a part of the overall system design for the success of the instruments for space missions. We also look into low-mass and low-profile conformal antenna technologies that will have a profound impact on future space instruments at terahertz frequencies.

We have demonstrated corrugated horn antennas at 340 GHz and 560 GHz fabricated with deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) process on silicon. The measurement of a single 340 GHz antenna showed that the return loss and gain are approximately 25 dB and 21 dBi, respectively. The measurement of two of the 2x2 560 GHz array antenna showed that the return loss and directivity are 13 dB and 22 dB, respectively. All of the measured antennas had below -25 dB of the cross-polarization and symmetrical beam patterns. The silicon microfabrication technique allows fabrication of hundreds of horn antennas at once, allowing construction of multi-pixel heterodyne imagers and spectrometers at submillimeter wavelengths.

This paper presents a lens antenna that scans the beam using an integrated piezomotor at submillimeter-wave frequencies. The lens antenna is based on the concept presented by Llombart et al. in 2011, a leaky-wave waveguide feed in order to achieve wide angle scanning and seamless integration with the receiver. The lens is translated from the origin of the waveguide producing the scanning of the beam over a 50° field of view (FoV) (or about 6.25 beamwidths) with a maximum scanning loss of 1 dB. The lens movement is achieved with a piezoelectric motor that is integrated within the antenna and receiver block. A prototype was built and measured at 550 GHz achieving scanning beam angles close to 20° with only 0.6 dB of loss. The scanning of the 50° FoV, which corresponds to a lens displacement of approximately 2 mm, takes about 0.9 s achieving a scanning rate of 0.75 Hz of the FoV. The accuracy in continuous mode of the piezoactuator has been measured to be less than 28 μ in the worse of cases for displacements of 2 mm, which corresponds to a beam steering of 0.76°, much smaller than the antenna half-power beamwidth of 8°.