Extremely low-loss terahertz waveguide based on silicon photonic-crystal slab

Abstract

We pursued the extremely low loss of photonic-crystal waveguides composed of a silicon slab with high resistivity (20 kΩ-cm) in the terahertz region. Propagation and bending losses as small as <0.1 dB/cm (0.326-0.331 THz) and 0.2 dB/bend (0.323-0.331 THz), respectively, were achieved in the 0.3-THz band. We also developed 1.5-Gbit/s terahertz links and demonstrated an error-free uncompressed high-definition video transmission by using a photonic-crystal waveguide with a length of as long as 50 cm and up to 28 bends thanks to the low-loss properties. Our results show the potential of photonic crystals for application as terahertz integration platforms.

Tutorial: Terahertz beamforming, from concepts to realizations

“…That said, high-resistivity silicon-based dielectric waveguides, similar to the sort that is popular in the optical range, are showing promise in the terahertz range. 117,118 However, it should be noted that the larger wavelength of terahertz radiation compromises the compactness of such structures, and hence this presents a trade-off.…”

Advances in terahertz communications accelerated by photonics

“…For that we could highlight low loss waveguide technology, where hollow waveguide with loss lower than 0.2 dB/m have been developed 86 . However, considering the architecture of a photonic chip, a planar solution would be more interesting, and developments in photonic band-gap structures that have been integrated directly with photonic chips and antenna 87 (Fig. 4c) would offer great prospect.…”

“…GHz 26 . c, Photonic band-gap THz waveguides for interconnects 87 . d, Graphene-based, metamaterial structured THz modulator 94 .…”

Analysis and design of efficient passive components for the millimeter-wave and THz bands

“…Cylinder radius is r = 10 mum and standard period is p = 50 mum. The E-field magnitude at f = 4.1 THz is also shown; b) EBG waveguide proposed in [485], consisting in a silicon slab where dielectric holes are practiced in triangular lattice to form a 2D EBG structures. The hole radius is r = 90 mum, the period is a = 300 µ and the slab thickness is h = 200 µm.…”

“…The hole radius is r = 90 mum, the period is a = 300 µ and the slab thickness is h = 200 µm. In the image they are shown details of the feeding with WR-3, schematic of the triangular periodic lattice and involved parameters and photographs of the top and side of the structure; c) 60 degree bend implemented with the EBG silicon waveguide of [485] and E-field magnitude in it.…”