Objectives:

This project will look at the possibility to create a highly sensitive room temperature operating THz receiver that can be pumped optically. This research work will contribute to answering TERAOPTICS’ Challenges III, IV & V.

Expected Results:

For this work the ESR will be expected to develop a fully integrated receiver for THz signal. This will include the study to develop a novel InP based Schottky Barrier Diode that could be easily integrated within the standard growth of a UTC-PD, while also looking at hybrid integration with GaAs based SBD. The design work will also look at optimising the coupling of the UTC-PD signal with the SBD on chip for THz frequencies, in particular looking at different on-chip waveguides solutions (Dielectric rectangular, Plasmonic, metamaterial…). Ultimately the output will be an integrated device demonstrating state of the art sensitivity in the THz range, with tuneability beyond the state of the art.
This will benefit the targeted key application THz communications but will also be applicable for coherent THz spectroscopy systems used in Earth observation and radio-astronomy.

Planned secondment(s):

• to AIRBUS (Dr. Ralf Green), ~M10 for 1.5 months, for key metrics and requirements for satellite receivers
• to UDE (Prof. Andreas Stöhr), M16 for 1 months, for round-robin optically mediated THz signal generation
• to RAL (Prof. Peter Huggard), ~M24 for 2 months, packaged SBD fabrication and experiments on hybrid integrated systems.