Integrated Terahertz Transmit Receive Modules

The Terahertz frequency band, spanning from roughly 100 GHz through 10 THz, is often sited as the most scientifically rich, yet unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The major problem that has forestalled the full exploitation of thisfrequency band is the lack of convenient and reliable terahertz transmitters and receivers. Previous research has shown that GaAs diode technology can be used for terahertz Transmit/Receive (T/R) modules, but the cost is prohibitive, the reliability ispoor and the frequency agility is limited. Phase I research has demonstrated that these limitations can be overcome through the use of highly integrated GaAs-on-dielectric circuits and modern computer aided design tools. The prototypes demonstrated inPhase I have shown that component integration can vastly improve performance and greatly reduce costs.Phase II research will focus on the implementation of this technology for the development of a new generation of frequency sources and receivers that will allow the terahertz band to be fully exploited for military, scientific and commercial applications.