Multichannel photoconductive terahertz receiving antenna, re-ceiver, terahertz system and terahertz method

A receiver for terahertz radiation, comprising:

• a receiving antenna for terahertz radiation, the receiving antenna comprising:
• an antenna conductor;
• and
• a first photoconductor connected to the antenna conductor, wherein the first photoconductor is activatable by light, wherein the first photoconductor when, in an activated state, allows an antenna current to flow through the antenna conductor and the first photoconductor;
• wherein the receiving antenna comprises at least one second photoconductor connected to the antenna conductor, wherein the at least one second photoconductor is activatable by light, wherein the at least one second photoconductor is connected in parallel with the first photoconductor and when the at least one second photoconductor is in an activated state, allows the antenna current to flow through the antenna conductor and the second photoconductor, and wherein at least one high-pass filter is connected between at least one of:
• the first photoconductor and the antenna conductor, or the at least one second photoconductor and the antenna conductor;
• and
• at least one light source to generate at least one light signal for activating the first photoconductor and the at least one second photoconductor of the receiving antenna, wherein the at least one light source is optically coupled to at least one of the first photoconductor or to the at least one second photoconductor of the receiving antenna for applying light from the at least one light signal to the first photoconductor and the second photoconductor.

A terahertz system comprising:

• a transmitter to generate terahertz radiation;
• and
• a receiver for terahertz radiation, to receive the terahertz radiation generated by the transmitter, the receiver comprising:
• a receiving antenna comprising:
• an antenna conductor;
• and
• a first photoconductor connected to the antenna conductor, wherein the first photoconductor is activatable by light, wherein the first photoconductor when, in an activated state, allows an antenna current to flow through the antenna conductor and the first photoconductor;
• wherein the receiving antenna comprises at least one second photoconductor connected to the antenna conductor, wherein the at least one second photoconductor is activatable by light, wherein the at least one second photoconductor is connected in parallel with the first photoconductor and when the at least one second photoconductor is in an activated state, allows the antenna current to flow through the antenna conductor and the second photoconductor, and wherein at least one high-pass filter is connected between at least one of:
• the first photoconductor and the antenna conductor, or the at least one second photoconductor and the antenna conductor;
• and
• at least one light source to generate at least one light signal for activating the first photoconductor and the at least one second photoconductor of the receiving antenna, wherein the at least one light source is optically coupled to at least one of the first photoconductor or to the at least one second photoconductor of the receiving antenna for applying light from the at least one light signal to the first photoconductor and the second photoconductor.

A method of generating and detecting terahertz radiation, the method comprising:

• generating a terahertz signal using a transmitter;
• receiving the terahertz signal generated by the transmitter by a receiver
• activating a first photoconductor of a receiving antenna of the receiver by a first component of a light signal generated by at least one light source of the receiver;
• activating at least one second photoconductor of the receiving antenna of the receiver by a second component of the light signal generated by the at least one light source of the receiver;
• concurrently measuring a first measurement signal corresponding to a low-frequency component of an antenna current flowing through the first photoconductor and a second measurement signal corresponding to a low-frequency component of the antenna current flowing through the at least one second photoconductor while the first photoconductor and the at least one second photoconductor are activated;
• and
• determining at least one of an amplitude or a phase of the received terahertz signal from the first measurement signal and the second measurement signal using at least one of a defined phase shift or a defined transit-time difference between the first component and the second component of the light signal.