Final Report Summary - TERAMICROSYS (Terahertz microsystems - Enabling the large-scale exploitation of the terahertz gap)
The TERAMICROSYS project, led by the PI Joachim Oberhammer at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, has successfully established silicon-micromachined waveguide technology at sub-terahertz frequencies in Europe, closing the gap to the technology leadership in the US. Key technologies, such as the world's lowest-loss waveguide technology, have been developed. Several outstanding sub-terahertz device prototypes have been implemented and characterized. Highlights of the work comprise: world's first turnstile orthomode transducer above 110 GHz, several world's lowest loss filter demonstrators in the 100-500 GHz frequency range including the world's first 1% fractional bandwidth filter at submillimetre-wave frequencies, world's first MEMS waveguide switches and phase shifters above 200 GHz reaching even up to 750 GHz, ultracompact high gain micromachined antennas up to 400 GHz. Several system demonstrators have been successfully build, including a micromachined platform for a 129-148 GHz communication link including a ultra-low-loss diplexer filter, and a micromachined 100 GHz skin cancer sensor. The work has led to several outstanding publications in the fields of terahertz technology, microwave engineering, antenna systems, biomedical applications, telecommunication and radar technology.