A microfabricated low-profile wideband antenna array for terahertz communications

Abstract

While terahertz communications are considered to be the future solutions for the increasing demands on bandwidth, terahertz equivalents of radio frequency front-end components have not been realized. It remains challenging to achieve wideband, low profile antenna arrays with highly directive beams of radiation. Here, based on the complementary antenna approach, a wideband 2 × 2 cavity-backed slot antenna array with a corrugated surface is proposed. The approach is based on a unidirectional antenna with a cardiac radiation pattern and stable frequency characteristics that is achieved by integrating a series-resonant electric dipole with a parallel-resonant magnetic dipole. In this design, the slots work as magnetic dipoles while the corrugated surface radiates as an array of electric dipoles. The proposed antenna is realized at 1 THz operating frequency by stacking multiple metallized layers using the microfabrication technology. S-parameter measurements of this terahertz low-profile metallic antenna array demonstrate high efficiency at terahertz frequencies. Fractional bandwidth and gain are measured to be 26% and 14 dBi which are consistent with the simulated results. The proposed antenna can be used as the building block for larger antenna arrays with more directive beams, paving the way to develop high gain low-profile antennas for future communication needs.

Antenna Selection and Designing for THz Applications: Suitability and Performance Evaluation: A Survey

“…This is done by employing quantum well-infrared photodetector and a quantum cascade laser. To overcome the challenge endured while achieving wide-bandwidth at THz frequency band, a × 2 slot antenna array, backed by a cavity, is proposed in [92]. The authors use the approach of the unidirectional antenna and achieved cardiac radiation pattern by the integration of parallel-resonant magnetic dipole with a series-resonant electric dipole.…”

Compact High-Gain Si-Imprinted THz Antenna for Ultrahigh Speed Wireless Communications

“…4(b), the ME dipole exhibits nearly symmetrical E-plane and H-plane radiation patterns over a wide bandwidth, which is achieved by combining an electric dipole with a magnetic dipole. The structure of this 1 THz ME dipole can be found in [13]. Besides, the ME dipole can help to reduce the SLL, improve the front-to-back ratio, and increase the gain of the THz GBA.…”

“…Recently, microfabrication technologies were used to construct a low-profile wideband 2 × 2 magnetoelectric (ME) dipole antenna arrays operating at 1 THz by stacking multiple layers of SU-8 polymer together, each with thickness over hundreds of micrometers [13]. It is a great challenge to combine and align multiple SU-8 layers as breakage and deformation often occur during the process.…”

Terahertz Antenna Array Based on a Hybrid Perovskite Structure

“…Aside from the microstrip antenna, the Yagi-Uda antenna has been utilized for THz wireless communication [18]. Alternatively, patch antenna array have the advantage of low profile, low cost and easy to fabricate despite of having narrow transmission capacity [19]. However, THz antennas array cannot be accomplished by just reducing the metal antenna dimensions to a few micrometres [20].…”