Integrated Couplers of THz Radiation for Helical Slow-Wave Structures.

Area of Science:

• Terahertz (THz) technology
• Microwave engineering
• Semiconductor device fabrication

Background:

• Characterizing slow-wave structures (SWS) typically requires dicing and packaging individual devices, increasing costs and complexity.
• Traveling-wave tube (TWT) amplifiers are crucial for high-frequency applications but often face limitations in size and cost.
• Wafer-level testing offers a more efficient and economical approach to device development and characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate an integrated device for on-wafer characterization of SWS.
• To explore the potential of vertically integrated antennas and SWS for THz TWT amplifiers.
• To enable efficient beam-wave interaction studies without individual device packaging.

Main Methods:

• Designed an integrated device coupling coaxial horn antennas with a self-assembled helical slow-wave structure.
• Utilized a v-groove on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer for device fabrication.
• Focused on enabling wafer-level characterization of cold parameters and beam-wave interaction.

Main Results:

• Successfully designed a novel integrated device architecture.
• The design facilitates on-wafer characterization, potentially reducing fabrication steps.
• The integrated structure shows promise for developing compact and low-cost THz TWT amplifiers.

Conclusions:

• The developed integrated device enables efficient wafer-level characterization of slow-wave structures.
• This approach paves the way for compact and cost-effective terahertz traveling-wave tube amplifiers.
• Vertical integration of antennas and SWS is a promising strategy for future THz device development.