Terahertz Radiation Mixer
Higher sensitivity Can withstand higher frequencies and higher current densities
Terahertz applications High-resolution spectroscopy Remote sensing for space applications This technology is available for licensing.
Researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara have developed a terahertz radiation mixer for detecting an electromagnetic input signal having a radio frequency. The gate voltage can be tuned to modulate the electron density under the grating gate so that the local oscillator signal resonates with a spatial frequency of a standing plasmon resonance of the two-dimensional electron gas in the channel region. When operated on a plasmon resonance, the mixer provides a narrowband response with an intermediate frequency that can be up to 10 GHz or greater. Alternatively, the gate voltage can be greater than the pinch-off voltage of the field-effect transistor to provide a broadband pinch-off response having higher sensitivity.
Patent Number: US7376403B1
Application Number: US2005113635A
Inventor: Wanke, Michael C. | Allen, S. James | Lee, Mark
Priority Date: 25 Apr 2005
Priority Number: US7376403B1
Application Date: 25 Apr 2005
Publication Date: 20 May 2008
IPC Current: H04B000118
US Class: 4551891 | 257019 | 257192 | 257270 | 257E29091 | 257E29249 | 455209 | 455293 | 455331 | 455333
Assignee Applicant: Sandia Corporationbuquerque
Title: Terahertz radiation mixer
Usefulness: Terahertz radiation mixer
Summary: Terahertz radiation mixer for detecting an electromagnetic input signal, and for high resolution terahertz application e.g. military, anti-terror and biomedical imaging applications, in diverse fields. Uses include but are not limited to molecular spectroscopy, space and atmospheric sciences, plasma physics, biology, medical imaging, remote sensing and communications.
Novelty: Terahertz radiation mixer for e.g. military application, has oscillator signal comprises frequency detuned from radio frequency to provide output signal having difference intermediate frequency, where output signal is detected
Measurement/Testing
Measurement Tool
Background Terahertz applications remain relatively undeveloped because the terahertz region lies between the traditional microwave and optical regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, where electronic or photonic technologies have been developed for these purposes. Terahertz applications have been hampered due to the historically poor performance of terahertz components lying in the "technological gap" between these traditional electronic and photonic domains. There has been a need for a selective and tunable narrowband detector for terahertz spectrum analysis and imaging. Most solid state devices have had difficulty in this regard, because the electron energy relaxation times in such devices are typically much longer than the period of terahertz oscillations and terahertz energies are smaller than typical thermal energies. Therefore, the terahertz electromagnetic wave is oscillating too fast for free carriers to respond. A fast solid-state terahertz radiation mixer is still needed to enable coherent detection for terahertz applications requiring high resolution. Additional Technologies by these Inventors Tech ID/UC Case 22794/2006-058-0 Related Cases 2006-058-0
USA
