A novel low-loss Terahertz waveguide: Polymer tube

Abstract

We propose a kind of novel low-loss Terahertz (THz) waveguide, a polymer tube with a cross section of ring structure. Low-loss property of the polymer tube for THz guiding is achieved due to the effect of the air core inside the polymer tube which traps a large part of mode power and, at the same time, enlarges the mode area of the fundamental mode. Both the polymer tube and a solid polymer fiber are comparatively investigated, considering effective indexes, mode area, power fraction, relative absorption loss and mode profile. Simulation results show that the proposed polymer tube exhibits better loss property and confinement property than the solid polymer fiber. As an example, we finally show the experimentally measured property of a Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube.

Reducing Transmission Losses in Hollow THz Waveguides

“…The pipe waveguide (dielectric tube) is another simple implementation of the air core concept. The traveling wave, weakly confined by reflections in the dielectric walls, experiences the overall loss of 2 dB/m at 0.3-0.4 THz [8] and 4 dB/m at 1 THz [7]. To reduce losses in these waveguides further, dielectric materials with lower absorption at THz frequencies are required.…”

The Transmission Properties of the Metal-Coated THZ Ps Tube With Groove

“…And polymer tube is easy to be designed and fabricated, which has a large mode field area. So it is a new potential kind of low loss THz waveguide [4].…”

Thin chalcogenide capillaries as efficient waveguides from mid-infrared to terahertz

“…Guiding mechanism of such capillaries is well known [6][7][8]. In the THz spectral range they guide via total internal reflection, while in the mid-IR spectral range guiding mechanism is driven by an antiresonant reflecting [9,10].…”