Submillimeter-wave sideband generation using varactor Schottky diodes

Kurtz, D.S.; Hesler, Jeffrey L.; Crowe, T.W.; Weikle, Robert M.

doi:10.1109/tmtt.2002.804511

Cited by 34 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…However, the conversion loss is still worse than the best reported whisker contact varactor upconverter with tunable backshort. 10 The possible reasons are the large anode size, RF coupling and resonant circuit mismatch. With circuit and block fabrication improvement, the conversion loss of planar design can be expected to improve in the near future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, the best performance obtained from a sideband generator at submillimeter wavelengths employed a whisker-contacted Schottky varactor diode operating at 1.6 THz. 10 The conversion loss of this device was measured to be 14 dB with an output power of 55 µW. However, it has proved difficult to further develop these SBG's because of the challenges involved in implementing the whisker-contact diode.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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1.6-THz frequency upconverter with integrated GaAs diode circuit

Schoenthal

Hesler

et al. 2005

SPIE Proceedings

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THz frequency sources have a variety of applications ranging from molecular spectroscopy, atmospheric remote sensing, scaled radar range systems, sensing and monitoring of chemical and biological molecules to wireless communications. However, there is a lack of frequency tunable sources at these wavelengths. A frequency upconverter can be used to generate frequency tunable sidebands as a tunable high frequency source from a fixed source, such as Far Infrared (FIR) Laser. The development of 1.6 THz frequency upconverters with integrated diode circuit are described in this paper. The integration of the diode with the embedding circuit enhances mechanical robustness and makes the circuits easy to handle compared with a whisker-contacted diode structure. A nonlinear analysis is used to determine the optimum varactor diode parameters. Through the optimization, the circuit quartz substrate thickness is chosen to be 10 um and the anode diameter is determined to be 1 um. With the non-ohmic cathode contact technique and air bridge process (eliminating the surface channel etch process), the 1.6 THz integrated circuits were fabricated in University of Virginia with high yield. Furthermore, the conversion loss is measured and presented. The test setup consists of an FIR Laser, beam splitter, polarizer, parabolic mirror, silicon etalon and other optical components. The average conversion loss was measured to be approximatly 25 dB over 8 GHz microwave pump. Equivalent circuit models and simulations are presented to corroborate these results.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

1.6-THz frequency upconverter with integrated GaAs diode circuit

Schoenthal

Hesler

et al. 2005

SPIE Proceedings

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“…Another advantage of a QVD structure is vertical current flow, as in the case of whisker-contacted [2] or substrate-less [1,8] structures. The current flows from the anode on the top of the epitaxial layer to the back-side ohmic-contact (see Fig.…”

Section: Design Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Their popularity basically arises from relative fabrication simplicity as well as small parasitic capacitance and series resistance [1,2]. Their popularity basically arises from relative fabrication simplicity as well as small parasitic capacitance and series resistance [1,2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Characterization of Schottky-Structures for THz-Applications

Cojocari¹,

Oprea²,

Sydlo³

et al. 2007

Frequenz

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This work presents results of systematically performed optimizations of a quasi-vertical Schottky-structure for THz-applications. Three versions of structure-design based on a quasi-vertical concept were successfully fabricated and characterized. The first-developed anti-parallel mixer-diode pair demonstrated high performance at frequencies below 200GHz. Excellent power-sensitivity was attained of a single-diode structure fabricated with the second design-version. Microwave-noise measurements of such a structure revealed typical values of the junction noise-temperature to be lower than 300K at frequencies between 2.1GHz and 4.8GHz and at a bias current up to 3mA. Low-frequency noise of these diodes is normally about 4µV/Hz 1/2 at 1Hz. Typical DCcharacteristics of the third design-version result in a calculated cut-off frequency of up to 20THz. These structures demonstrated state-of-the-art mixer performance at millimeter waves.

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“…Varactor-based sideband generation is an example of parametric upconversion, and practical implementations at 1.6 THz have shown improvements of as much as 20 dB in conversion loss compared to sideband generators based on resistive mixing [1,2]. Unfortunately, the limited output power attainable from sideband generators based on single diode architectures remains a primary drawback.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Schottky diode arrays for submillimeter-wave sideband generation

Hawasli

Alijabarri

Weikle

2012

2012 37th International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves

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A 100-element varactor sideband generator array for operation at 1.6 THz has been designed and fabricated. The array consists of varactor Schottky diodes fabricated on GaAs and integrated into an array of bowtie antennas. An integrated transmission line stub is included to tune the diode parasitic capacitance. Harmonic balance simulations predict the array to have a sideband conversion loss of 8.3 dB.

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Submillimeter-wave sideband generation using varactor Schottky diodes

Cited by 34 publications

References 24 publications

1.6-THz frequency upconverter with integrated GaAs diode circuit

1.6-THz frequency upconverter with integrated GaAs diode circuit

Design and Characterization of Schottky-Structures for THz-Applications

Schottky diode arrays for submillimeter-wave sideband generation

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