A novel low-loss Terahertz waveguide: polymer tube

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Terahertz (THz) technology requires efficient waveguides for signal transmission.
• Existing polymer waveguides often suffer from significant signal loss.
• Novel designs are needed to improve THz wave propagation in polymer-based systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate a novel low-loss Terahertz (THz) waveguide utilizing a polymer tube with a ring structure.
• To compare the THz guiding properties of the proposed polymer tube waveguide with a conventional solid polymer fiber.
• To experimentally validate the performance of the proposed waveguide using Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

Main Methods:

• Simulated effective indexes, mode area, power fraction, relative absorption loss, and mode profiles for both waveguide types.
• Employed numerical simulations to analyze THz wave propagation characteristics.
• Experimentally measured the properties of a Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer tube waveguide.

Main Results:

• The proposed polymer tube waveguide demonstrates significantly lower loss properties compared to the solid polymer fiber.
• The air core within the polymer tube effectively traps a large portion of the mode power.
• The enlarged mode area of the fundamental mode in the polymer tube contributes to reduced signal attenuation.

Conclusions:

• The novel polymer tube waveguide with a ring structure is a promising candidate for low-loss Terahertz (THz) guiding applications.
• The design offers superior performance in terms of loss and confinement compared to solid polymer fibers.
• Experimental validation with PTFE confirms the potential of this waveguide architecture for practical THz systems.