Integrated heterodyne terahertz transceiver
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorsMark Lee, Michael C. Wanke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heterodyne terahertz transceiver comprises a quantum cascade laser that is integrated on-chip with a Schottky diode mixer. An antenna connected to the Schottky diode receives a terahertz signal. The quantum cascade laser couples terahertz local oscillator power to the Schottky diode to mix with the received terahertz signal to provide an intermediate frequency output signal. The fully integrated transceiver optimizes power efficiency, sensitivity, compactness, and reliability. The transceiver can be used in compact, fieldable systems covering a wide variety of deployable applications not possible with existing technology.
Claims15
An integrated heterodyne terahertz transceiver, comprising:
- a quantum cascade laser, comprising
- a substrate providing a bottom waveguide layer,
- a plurality of layered heterostructures of two or more semiconductor alloys on the substrate,
- a top waveguide layer on the layered semiconductor heterostructures, thereby providing an active semiconductor core between the top and bottom waveguide layers;
- and
- at least one receiver formed in a hole in the top waveguide layer of the quantum cascade laser, comprising
- a rectifying metal contact on the top surface of the layered semiconductor heterostructures exposed by the hole, thereby forming a metal-to-semiconductor Schottky diode, and
- an antenna or horn connected to the rectifying metal contact for receiving a terahertz signal;
- wherein the quantum cascade laser couples terahertz local oscillator power to the Schottky diode to mix with the received terahertz signal to provide an intermediate frequency output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.