High power terahertz photoconductive antenna array
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsDong Ho Wu, Benjamin Graber
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Abstract
Systems and method are provided for producing portable, high power, broadband terahertz emitters based on arrayed terahertz photoconductive antennas. After such an arrayed structure is made, the phase of terahertz signals that are produced by each photoconductive antenna can be adjusted, and the terahertz signals can be added such that the signals are added constructively. Terahertz emitters based on terahertz photoconductive antenna arrays are advantageously small in size and scalable, allowing for terahertz power to be increased by adding more photoconductive antenna arrays.
Claims20
A photoconductive antenna array device, comprising:
- a beam splitter configured to receive a laser beam and to output a plurality of split laser beams;
- a plurality of antennas configured to receive respective split laser beams from the beam splitter;
- a plurality of phase shifters, coupled to respective antennas in the plurality of antennas, configured to adjust the respective antennas;
- and
- a beam combiner, coupled to respective outputs of the plurality of antennas, configured to generate a combined beam, wherein a phase of the combined beam is determined by a distance between a first antenna in the plurality of antennas and the beam combiner.
A photoconductive antenna array device, comprising:
- a beam splitter configured to receive a laser beam and to output a plurality of split laser beams;
- a plurality of antennas configured to receive respective split laser beams from the beam splitter;
- a plurality of phase shifters, coupled to respective antennas in the plurality of antennas, configured to adjust the respective antennas;
- and
- a beam combiner, coupled to respective outputs of the plurality of antennas, configured to generate a combined beam, wherein a phase of the combined beam is determined by respective distances between the beam splitter and each respective antenna in the plurality of antennas.
A photoconductive antenna array device, comprising:
- a laser configured to generate a laser beam;
- a beam splitter configured to receive the laser beam and to output a plurality of split laser beams;
- a plurality of antennas configured to receive respective split laser beams from the beam splitter;
- a plurality of phase shifters, coupled to respective antennas in the plurality of antennas, configured to adjust the respective antennas;
- and
- a beam combiner, coupled to respective outputs of the plurality of antennas, configured to generate a combined beam, wherein a phase of the combined beam is determined by:
- first respective distances between the beam splitter and each antenna in the plurality of antennas,
- second respective distances between each respective antenna in the plurality of antennas and the beam combiner, and
- respective bias voltages of the plurality phase shifters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.