Terahertz transceivers

Abstract

A terahertz transceiver, comprising at least a first and a second antenna, wherein the first and/or the second antenna is a dipole antenna comprising a dipole section, wherein the dipole section has a gap through which light can be radiated onto the photoconductive material, and wherein a first ending of the dipole section is connected to a first feedline and a second ending of the dipole section is connected to a second feedline, the feedlines (extending with an angle to the dipole section. The first and/or the second antenna has an asymmetric design, wherein a first section of at least one of the feedlines extending on one side of the dipole section is longer than a second section of the at least one feedline extending on the other side of the dipole section and/or at least one of the feedlines extends on one side of the dipole section, only.

Claims

1. A terahertz transceiver, comprising: a photoconductive material; at least a first and a second antenna each comprising an excitation region in which the photoconductive material is excitable by optical radiation, wherein the first and/or the second antenna is a dipole antenna comprising a dipole section; wherein each dipole section has a gap through which light can be radiated onto the photoconductive material; wherein a first ending of each dipole section is connected to a first feedline and a second ending of each dipole section is connected to a second feedline, the feedlines extending with an angle to each dipole section, and wherein: (a) both the first and the second antenna are dipole antennas, wherein for each antenna a first section of at least one of the feedlines extending on one side of the dipole section is longer than a second section of the at least one feedline extending on the other side of the dipole section and/or at least one of the feedlines extends on one side of the dipole section, only, wherein the first and the second antenna are arranged in such a way that the longer section of the at least one feedline or the entire feedline of the first antenna is oriented in the opposite direction of the at least one feedline or of the entire feedline of the second antenna; or (b) one of the antennas is a stripline antenna consisting of two parallel striplines delimiting the excitation region, and the other antenna is the dipole antenna having an asymmetric design, wherein a first section of at least one of the feedlines extending on one side of the dipole section of the dipole antenna is longer than a second section of the at least one feedline extending on the other side of the dipole section and/or at least one of the feedlines extends on one side of the dipole section, only, wherein the striplines of the stripline antenna are parallel to the feedlines of the dipole antenna and are arranged on the other side of the dipole section of the dipole antenna than the first section of the at least one feedline or the entire feedline of the dipole antenna.

2. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the length of the first section is at least twice, at least three times or at least five times the length of the second section of the at least one feedline.

3. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dipole section comprises a first and a second electrically conductive material portion adjoining the gap.

4. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein both the first and the second antenna has an asymmetric design, and wherein the first and the second antenna are arranged in such a way that the longer section of the at least one feedline or the entire feedline is orientated in the opposite direction of the longer section of the at least one feedline or of the entire feedline of the second antenna.

5. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second antenna are offset relative to one another in a direction parallel to the feedlines.

6. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second antenna at least partially are arranged in a row extending parallel to the feedlines.

7. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second antenna are monolithically integrated on a common substrate.

8. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and the second antenna are arranged at least partially on the photoconductive material and/or laterally adjoin the photoconductive material, wherein a region between the first and the second antenna is free of the photoconductive material.

9. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 8, wherein the region forms an electrically insulating trench.

10. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the excitation regions of the first and/or the second antenna comprises a photoconductive mesa structure.

11. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the antennas is an asymmetric dipole antenna and the other antenna is a stripline antenna.

12. The terahertz transceiver arrangement as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an evaluating arrangement for evaluating signals of one of the antennas operated as a receiving antenna, wherein the evaluating arrangement is configured for evaluating the antenna signals without using the lock-in technique.

13. The terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optical arrangement for both imaging THz radiation emitted by one of the antennas onto an object and for imaging THz radiation reflected at the object onto the other antenna.

14. A terahertz transceiver arrangement comprising a terahertz transceiver as claimed in claim 1 and a light source configured for generating light pulses or a continuous optical beat signal radiated onto the excitation regions of the first and second antenna.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Embodiments of the solution are described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 a top view of a prior art terahertz transceiver.

(3) FIG. 2 a terahertz transceiver according to a first embodiment.

(4) FIG. 3 a terahertz transceiver according to a second embodiment.

(5) FIG. 4 a terahertz transceiver according to a third embodiment.

(6) FIG. 5 a terahertz transceiver according to a fourth embodiment.

(7) FIG. 6 a terahertz transceiver according to a sixth embodiment.

(8) FIG. 7 schematically a terahertz transceiver arrangement comprising a terahertz transceiver according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) Prior art transceiver 10 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a first antenna in the form of an H-shaped transmitting antenna 20 and a second antenna in the form of a similarly H-shaped receiving antenna 30. Both the transmitting and the receiving antenna 20, 30 are arranged on photoconductive layers 14, wherein the photoconductive layers 14, in turn, are arranged on a substrate 13. The substrate 13 carries both the transmitting and the receiving antenna 20, 30.

(10) The antennas 20, 30 each comprises a dipole section 200, 300 (orientated horizontally in FIG. 1), the dipole section 200, 300 comprising two metallic strip-like portions 220, 221 and 320, 321, respectively. The strip-like portions 220, 221, 320, 321 adjoin a photoconductive gap 222, 322 of the dipole sections 200, 300.

(11) Moreover, feedlines 201a, 201b and 301a, 301b (orientated vertically in FIG. 1) are connected to endings of the metallic portions 220, 221 and 320, 321 of the dipole sections 200, 300 for applying a voltage to the dipole section (transmitting antenna 20) and for detecting a voltage at the dipole section (receiving antenna 30), respectively. The dipole sections 200, 300 may have a length smaller than 100 μm. The feedlines 201a, 201b and 301a, 301b extend on both sides of the dipole sections 200, 300, wherein the antennas 20, 30 are arranged close to one another such in order to reduce the distance between excitation regions 202, 302 of the antennas 20, 30. Accordingly, the feedline 201b of the transmitting antenna 20 over its entire length—typically several mm—located in close proximity of the feedline 301a of the receiving antenna 30, thereby creating considerable crosstalk between the antennas 20, 30 (indicated by arrows CT in FIG. 1).

(12) FIG. 2 depicts a top view of a terahertz transceiver 1 according to an embodiment. The terahertz transceiver 1 comprises a transmitting section 11 and a receiving section 12. The transmitting section 11 comprises a transmitting antenna 111 and the receiving section 12 comprises a receiving antenna 112, wherein the transmitting and receiving antenna 111, 112 are arranged on a common substrate 13. More particularly, the antennas 111, 112 are arranged on photoconductive layers 14 disposed on the substrate 13.

(13) Each one of the antennas 111, 112 comprises a dipole section 113, 114, wherein the dipole sections 113, 114 include a photoconductive gap 115, 116 defined by two metallic strip-like portions 1130, 1131 and 1140, 1141, respectively. The gaps 115, 116 will be used for radiating optical radiation (such as pulsed optical radiation or a continuous beat signal) onto the photoconductive layers 14, wherein the radiated light creates excitation regions 117, 118 indicated by solid circles in FIG. 2.

(14) Further, the transmitting antenna 111 comprises a first and a second feedline 119a, 119b for supplying a voltage to the dipole section 113, each of the feedlines 119a, 119b connecting to an ending of the portions 1130, 1131 of the dipole section 113. The transmitting antenna 111 has an asymmetric design, wherein the feedlines 119a, 119b extend on the same side of the dipole section 113, wherein there is no feedline or feedline section extending on the other side of the dipole section 113 such that the transmitting antenna 111 has the shape of a “U” rather than the prior art “H”-shape.

(15) The receiving antenna 112 comprises two feedlines 120a, 120b connecting to endings of the portions 1140, 1141 of the dipole section 114, wherein the feedlines 120a, 120b similarly to the feedlines 119a, 119b of the transmitting antenna 111 are arranged on one side of the dipole section 114, only. It is noted that the antennas 111, 112 do not necessarily have to have a perfect U-shape. Rather, the antennas may be optimized depending on their intended functions. For example, in the receiving antenna, the gap 116 of the dipole section may be designed in such a way that the light beam illuminates most of the gap. In a transmitting antenna, the photoconductive gap may be larger in order to permit higher voltages to be applied to the dipole section and to provide a longer acceleration path for the charger carriers.

(16) The antennas 111, 112 are arranged in such a way that the feedlines 119a, 119b of the transmitting antenna 111 point in the opposite direction of the receiving antenna 12. Further, the antennas 111, 112 are arranged with an offset both in the vertical direction (the direction parallel to the feedlines) and in the horizontal direction (perpendicular to the feedlines) such that there is a considerable distance between the feedlines 119a, 119b of the transmitting antenna 111 and the feedlines 120a, 120b of the receiving transmitter 112, thereby reducing crosstalk between those feedlines and thus between the antennas 111, 112.

(17) FIG. 3 shows another possible arrangement of the antennas 111, 112. According to that configuration, the antennas 111, 112 are arranged in a row in the vertical direction (i.e. in a direction parallel to the feedlines 119a, 119b, 120a, 120b), i.e. the antennas 111, 112 are arranged in such a way that there is no or at least only a small displacement between the antennas 111, 112 in the horizontal direction. For example, the antennas 111, 112 are arranged in such a way that the feedlines 119a, 119b of the transmitting antenna 111 are aligned with the feedlines 120a, 120b of the receiving antenna 112. Using that configuration the distance between the excitation regions 117, 118 can be greatly reduced such that the terahertz radiation may be radiated onto an object nearly perpendicular to the object (the angle between transmitted and reflected radiation being close to zero).

(18) FIG. 4 illustrates a terahertz transceiver 1 according to yet another embodiment. According to FIG. 4, only the receiving antenna 112 is formed as a dipole antenna, i.e. an antenna comprising a dipole section 114 and feedlines 120a, 120b connected to the dipole section 114. The transmitting antenna, however, is a stripline antenna 110 having two parallel striplines 125a, 125b only, the striplines 125a, 125b delimiting an excitation region 126 (i.e. a gap between the striplines 125a, 125b). In particular, the antenna structure is formed by the two parallel striplines 125a, 125b, only. Similarly to FIGS. 1 to 3, the antennas 110, 112 are arranged on a common substrate 13, i.e. on a continuous photoconductor comprising photoconductive layers 14.

(19) Further, the antennas 110, 112 are arranged directly above one another, i.e. there is no displacement of the antennas 110, 112 in the horizontal direction. However, it is of course possible that the antennas 110, 112 are at least slightly displaced also in the horizontal direction similarly to FIG. 2.

(20) FIG. 5 illustrates a modification of FIG. 4, wherein the photoconductive layers 14 are removed between the antennas 110, 112 such that a trench 127 without the photoconductive layers 14 is formed between the antennas 110, 112, the trench 127 providing an electrical insulation between the antennas 110, 112. The substrate 13 may have a high resistance such that considerable currents via the substrate 13 will not occur. It is also possible that a larger region of the photoconductive layers 14 is removed. For example, the photoconductive layers 14 are maintained in the excitation regions 126, 116 of the antennas 110, 112, only, such that the excitation regions 126, 116 comprise photoconductive (e.g. strip like) mesa structures 128, 129 (cf. FIG. 6). According to FIG. 6, the striplines 125a, 125b laterally adjoin the photoconductive mesa structure 128 and the metallic portions 1140, 1141 of the dipole section 114 of the dipole antenna 12 adjoin the mesa structure 129.

(21) Of course, the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6 could also be realized by using two dipole antennas and/or by arranging the antennas with an additional horizontal offset.

(22) FIG. 7 schematically depicts a transceiver arrangement 100 comprising a transceiver 1 according to an embodiment. For example, transceiver 1 comprises elements of the transceivers shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. That is, the transceiver 1 comprises a transmitting and the receiving section 11, 12, the transmitting section 11 including a transmitting antenna 111 and the receiving section 12 including a receiving antenna 112. The antennas 111, 112 are arranged on photoconductive layers 14 disposed on a substrate 13.

(23) The transceiver arrangement 100 further comprises a first and a second optical fiber 21, 22, wherein the first optical fiber 21 is configured and arranged for guiding light (e.g. in the form of light pulse 201 generated by a pulsed laser) towards the excitation region 117 of the transmitting antenna 111. The second optical fiber 22 is configured and used for guiding optical pulses 202 towards the excitation region 118 of the receiving antenna 112. The temporal position of the pulses 201 relative to the temporal position of the pulses 202 may be varied in order to scan the terahertz radiation detected using the receiving antenna 112. For example, the time position of the pulses 202 transmitted to the receiving antenna 112 is varied (indicated by the dashed pulse shape in FIG. 7).

(24) The optical fibers 21, 22 are connected to a coupling element 4, wherein the coupling element 4 comprises a first and a second integrated optical waveguide 41, 42. The pulses 201 are coupled from the first optical fiber 21 into the first integrated optical waveguide 41, wherein the integrated optical waveguide 41 is formed in such a way that it guides the pulses 201 towards the excitation region 117 of the transmitting antenna 111. The second integrated optical waveguide 42 carries the light pulses 202 towards the excitation region 118 of the receiving antenna 112. For example, the optical fibers 21, 22 are connected to the coupling element 4, i.e. by means of an adhesive. Further, the first and the second integrated optical waveguide 41, 42 comprise inversely extending curvatures 411, 421 such that the distance between input endings 412, 422 of the integrated waveguides 41, 42 is larger than the distance between output endings 413, 423 in order to allow the optical fibers 21, 22 (e.g. having a diameter of at least 125 μm) to be connected to a front side of the coupling element 4. The coupling element 4 (e.g. a SOI or polymer chip) is aligned and fixed relative to the antenna chip (comprising the substrate 13, the photoconductive layers 14 and the antennas 111, 112). The transceiver 1 may be arranged in a protective housing (not shown).

(25) Moreover, the transceiver arrangement 100 comprises an optical arrangement 3 having a first optical lens 31 arranged adjacent a backside (i.e. a side facing away from the antennas 111, 112) of substrate 13. The lens 31 may comprise or may consist of silicon. Further, the optical arrangement 3 may comprise terahertz optics represented in FIG. 7 by a lens 32. The terahertz optics instead or in addition to lens 32 may comprise other lenses, mirrors, etc. The optical arrangement 3 is used for radiating terahertz radiation TR1 emitted by the transmitting antenna 111 onto an object O and for radiating terahertz radiation TR2 reflected back from the object O towards the receiving antenna 112. The reflected terahertz radiation is directly detected by an evaluation unit 5 using an output signal of the receiving antenna 112 supplied to the evaluation unit 5. More particularly, the detection of the terahertz radiation may be performed without using the lock-in technique and thus without having to arrange a mechanical chopper in the beam paths of terahertz radiation TR1, TR2.