Multi-Physics Modeling of Terahertz and Millimeter-Wave Devices

In recent years, there have been substantial efforts to design and fabricate millimeter-wave and terahertz (THz) active and passive devices. Operation of microwave and photonic devices in THz range is limited due to limited maximum allowable electron velocity at semiconductor materials, and large dimensions of optical structures that prohibit their integration into nano-size packages, respectively. In order to address these issues, the application of surface plasmons (SPs) is mostly suggested to advance plasmonic devices and make this area comparable to photonics or electronics. In this research, the feasibility of implementing THz and millimeter-wave plasmonic devices inside different material platforms including: two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layers of hetero-structures, silicon wafers and graphene, are elaborated. To this end, an analytical model is developed to describe the propagation of two-dimensional plasmons along electron gas layers of biased hetero-structures. Using this analytical model, the existence of new plasmonic modes along the biased electron gas is reported for the first time. For an independent verification, a novel multi-physics simulator is developed to analyze active terahertz plasmonic structures. It is also anticipated that the solver can offer novel ideas for guiding the SPs inside the future plasmonic circuits. In a different approach to design plasmonic devices in a widely used material platform, silicon, a THz modulator is proposed. Using a full wave simulator, it is shown that plasmonic wave can propagate along an indented n-type doped silicon wafer (which is later covered with a metallic layer) with large attenuations. However, the signal losses can be prohibited by applying bias voltages onto the metal as the thickness of the depletion layer between the metal and silicon increases. At the end, an effective method to couple incident waves onto an infinitely thin graphene mono-layer is presented. As will be illustrated, the surface waves along a corrugated metal can efficiently transit into graphene and successfully launch plasmons

A class of optically controlled millimeter wave devices

Three specific devices were investigated: the sheet resistance device, the Schottky-barrier diode and the PIN diode. Several sheet resistance devices were fabricated and tested. Based on the encouraging results from these devices, a mask was designed and sent to a vendor and is expected to be received very soon. A set of masks for fabricating transparent cathode Schottky-barrier diodes was designed. These masks were given to NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for fabrication of the diodes. A mask set was designed to fabricate PIN diodes with transparent electrodes. With slight modifications, the same mask set also can be used to fabricate other devices, such as MESFET and the IMPATT diode

A Wilkinson Power Divider with Harmonic Suppression and Size Reduction using High-low Impedance Resonator Cells

A miniaturized Wilkinson power divider using high-low impedance resonator cells are designed and fabricated. The proposed power divider occupies 23.7% of the conventional structure circuit area at the operating frequency of 0.9 GHz and it is also able to suppress harmonics. According to the measured results at 0.9 GHz, the insertion-losses of output ports are 3.087 dB, the return-losses at all ports are more than 30 dB, and the isolation between output ports is better than 35 dB. Also, 2nd to 10th spurious frequencies are suppressed. According to the measured S11, when it is less than -15 dB (from 0.65 GHz to 1.1 GHz) the fractional bandwidth of the proposed structure is 50%. Good agreement between simulation and measured results is achieved

A Lowpass Filter with Sharp Roll - off and High Relative Stopband Bandwidth Using Asymmetric High - Low Impedance Patches

In this letter, a microstrip lowpass filter with -3 dB cut-off frequency at 1.286 GHz is proposed. By using two main resonators which are placed symmetrically around Y axis a sharp roll-off rate (250 dB/GHz) is obtained. The proposed resonators are consisted of two asymmetric high-low impedance patches. To achieve a high relative stopband bandwidth (1.82) four high - low impedance resonators and four radial stubs as suppressing cells are employed. Furthermore, a flat insertion loss in the passband and a low return loss in the stopband can prove desired in-band and out-band frequency response. The proposed LPF has a high FOM about 63483

Simple and accurate analytical model of planar grids and high-impedance surfaces comprising metal strips or patches

This paper introduces simple analytical formulas for the grid impedance of electrically dense arrays of square patches and for the surface impedance of high-impedance surfaces based on the dense arrays of metal strips or square patches over ground planes. Emphasis is on the oblique-incidence excitation. The approach is based on the known analytical models for strip grids combined with the approximate Babinet principle for planar grids located at a dielectric interface. Analytical expressions for the surface impedance and reflection coefficient resulting from our analysis are thoroughly verified by full-wave simulations and compared with available data in open literature for particular cases. The results can be used in the design of various antennas and microwave or millimeter wave devices which use artificial impedance surfaces and artificial magnetic conductors (reflect-array antennas, tunable phase shifters, etc.), as well as for the derivation of accurate higher-order impedance boundary conditions for artificial (high-) impedance surfaces. As an example, the propagation properties of surface waves along the high-impedance surfaces are studied.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, submitted to IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagatio

Wideband Directional Coupler for Millimeter Wave Application based on Substrate Integrated Waveguide

Recently, Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) techniques have been noticed for millimeter wave devices in microwave applications. In this paper, we are developing a wide band directional 3 dB coupler with a phase of 90̊ phase delay in the range of 30-40 GHz based on periodic vias and multi hole structure. For achieving this wide bandwidth multi-section coupler is designed based on the theoretical modeling and the simulation result is compared with HFSS and CST with  two different  numerical  methods show good performance with low insertion and return loss, broad operational bandwidth and high isolation. A fractional bandwidth is about 28.5 %

Emerging applications of high temperature superconductors for space communications

Proposed space missions require longevity of communications system components, high input power levels, and high speed digital logic devices. The complexity of these missions calls for a high data bandwidth capacity. Incorporation of high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin films into some of these communications system components may provide a means of meeting these requirements. Space applications of superconducting technology has previously been limited by the requirement of cooling to near liquid helium temperatures. Development of HTS materials with transition temperatures above 77 K along with the natural cooling ability of space suggest that space applications may lead the way in the applications of high temperature superconductivity. In order for HTS materials to be incorporated into microwave and millimeter wave devices, the material properties such as electrical conductivity, current density, surface resistivity and others as a function of temperature and frequency must be well characterized and understood. The millimeter wave conductivity and surface resistivity were well characterized, and at 77 K are better than copper. Basic microwave circuits such as ring resonators were used to determine transmission line losses. Higher Q values than those of gold resonator circuits were observed below the transition temperature. Several key HTS circuits including filters, oscillators, phase shifters and phased array antenna feeds are feasible in the near future. For technology to improve further, good quality, large area films must be reproducibly grown on low dielectric constant, low loss microwave substrates

Millimetre-wave antennas and systems for the future 5G

Editorial of the special issue on Millimetre-Wave Antennas and Systems for the Future 5