Local Oscillator Technologies for THz Instruments

Toyon is proposing to develop multiplier technology with record power handling in the 200 – 400 GHz output frequency range using Gallium Nitride (GaN) materials. This technology is needed to effectively utilize the high pump powers now available from mm-wave GaN power amplifiers. GaN has inherent material property advantages including high electric field strength, electron velocity, and thermal conductivity which will enable significant advances in multiplier power handling and performance, similar to how these material advantages led to advances in power amplifier technology. During this effort Toyon will analyze, optimize, and prototype novel GaN devices suited for this application. The prototypes will be characterized and modeled. Based on these models candidate multiplier designs will be investigated and analyzed. Toyon anticipates this technology will lead to mm-wave multipliers with input power handling over 1 watt and efficiency over 30%. It will be applicable to many CW signal source applications such as Terahertz local oscillators which are used in a wide range of mm-wave and THz systems including radio astronomy, spectroscopy, imaging, and communication systems.