In-line evanescent-field-coupled THz bandpass mux/demux fabricated by additive layer manufacturing technology

Abstract

In this research, we present the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of 3D printed bandpass filters and mux/demux elements for terahertz frequencies. The filters consist of a set of in-line polystyrene (PS) rectangular waveguides, separated by 100 µm, 200 µm, and 400 µm air gaps. The principle of operation for the proposed filters resides in coupled-mode theory. Q-factors of up to 3.4 are observed, and additionally, the experimental evidence demonstrates that the Q-factor of the filters can be improved by adding fiber elements to the design. Finally, using two independent THz broadband channels, we demonstrate the first mux/demux device based on 3D printed in-line filters for the THz range. This approach represents a fast, robust, and low-cost solution for the next generation of THz devices for communications.