Terahertz Interferometer for Integrated Goubau-Line Waveguides

Abstract

Abstract-An integrated Terahertz Mach-Zehnder interferometer is presented in order to perform differential measurements in a chip. Both simulation and experiment are performed for validating the interferometer structure. Destructive interference peaks are observed, and destructive frequencies are predicted by a mathematical model with a good agreement. The structure is then used to characterize dielectric constant of materials. Simulation results enable to quantify the device sensitivity. An experimental validation is given with the characterization of a thermosensitive polymer (Cyclotene BCB) in the sub-THz frequency band. Perspectives to increase investigated frequencies are discussed.

DESIGN AND 3-D PARTICLE-IN-CELL SIMULATION OF A 140 GHz SPATIAL-HARMONIC MAGNETRON

“…Although various components have been developed for THz applications [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18], high power, low cost, and compact THz sources are not readily available [19]. With the rapid advancement of multi-physics based codes, which provide the possibility of simulating the nonlinear beam-wave interaction dynamics [20][21][22][23][24], extending the operating frequency of the existing microwave tube designs [25][26][27][28][29] has become a promising approach for developing compact and powerful THz sources [30][31][32][33][34][35][36].…”

Optimization of a Quasi Loss Less Air-Cavity Inverted Microstrip Line From Microwave to Millimeter-Wave Frequencies and Comparison With the Coplanar Goubau Line at 60 GHZ

“…This confinement can be improved by addition of corrugations [11]. The PGL can also realize passive structure like rejecters [12], interferometers [13], powerdividers [14,15]. A configuration with reported active circuits on the PGL could be studied in the case of modulators and demodulators [16], as it is studied in other technological processes for the application Radio-on-Fiber (RoF) [17].…”

Terahertz Mach-Zehnder interferometer based on a hollow-core metallic ridge waveguide

“…9 In the THz range, however, only few publications report on interferometric devices such as, e.g., a far-infrared Fourier transform spectrometer based on the interferometric evaluation of free-space THz beams 10 or a similar configuration for measuring tiny index changes in semiconductors. 11 A waveguide-based interferometer implemented with Goubau lines operating in the low THz range up to 0.3 THz is discussed by Laurette et al 12 and Treizebre et al, 13 where the application aims again at biosensing. Other potential applications comprise signal switching, modulation and filtering, or guided-wave spectroscopy.…”

“…For this reason, the MZI measurement only requires THz amplitude detectors and makes phase detectors obsolete. The MZI furthermore is a promising step towards MZIbased high-speed modulators or highly sensitive biosensors evaluating the varying spectral positions of the destructive transmission minima as discussed by Laurette et al 12 Moreover, the discussed MZI is highly compact and well suited for system integration.…”