Periodic Reporting for period 3 - TERAmeasure (Non-contact millimeter and Terahertz frequency measurement paradigm for instrumentation and sensing applications unlocking metrology-grade results)
Período documentado: 2022-05-01 hasta 2023-10-31
Vector Network Analysers (VNA) are the electronics industry instrumentation platform for calibrated phase-sensitive measurements, using standardized coaxial cables and connectors which are at their physical limit for a maximum frequency around 220 GHz. Above this frequency, probing becomes critical and costly rectangular waveguide extension heads must be used which segment the spectrum into separate frequency bands that prevent calibrated measurements across the spectrum. TERAmeasure challenges the current measurement paradigm in the millimetre (MMW, 30 GHz–300 GHz) and Terahertz (THz, 300 GHz–3 THz) frequency ranges, developing a novel concept that unlocks the entire spectrum.
The higher frequency bands in the millimeter and Terahertz range are being considered for high-speed wireless communications in the 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard. At these bands, there is available bandwidth to deliver faster, higher-quality video, and multimedia content and services. Other applications for these high frequencies are non-destructive testing and medical applications, where have an advantage over x-rays for not being an ionizing radiation which can be used for skin burn wound diagnostics as well as skin cancer detection.
The major roadblock for the development of systems operating in these frequency bands is the lack of broadband technologies. Current technology relies on harmonic multiplication to generating signals at these ranges and to rectangular metal waveguide interconnects, both of which contribute to the segmentation of the frequency spectrum into separate bands. Because different frequency bands require different multiplier chain, it is not possible to use harmonic multiplication to generate frequencies over a wide frequency range. In addition, the size of a rectangular waveguide (known as aperture size) allows to cover a limited frequency range.
TERAmeasure vision is to establish the basis for a radically new measurement paradigm in the millimeter and Terahertz frequency ranges, overcoming the current obstacles to better measurements, which involves eliminating the frequency banded nature of rectangular waveguides and providing metrology-grade results across the full frequency range. To develop this vision we combine photonic integration technology, to realize a continuously tunable photonic-based signal source, with silicon dielectric waveguides, to create a novel non-contact ultrabroadband interconnect, which can operate continuously over the entire MMW and THz frequency spectrum.
The higher frequency bands in the millimeter and Terahertz range are being considered for high-speed wireless communications in the 802.11ad Wi-Fi standard. At these bands, there is available bandwidth to deliver faster, higher-quality video, and multimedia content and services. Other applications for these high frequencies are non-destructive testing and medical applications, where have an advantage over x-rays for not being an ionizing radiation which can be used for skin burn wound diagnostics as well as skin cancer detection.
The major roadblock for the development of systems operating in these frequency bands is the lack of broadband technologies. Current technology relies on harmonic multiplication to generating signals at these ranges and to rectangular metal waveguide interconnects, both of which contribute to the segmentation of the frequency spectrum into separate bands. Because different frequency bands require different multiplier chain, it is not possible to use harmonic multiplication to generate frequencies over a wide frequency range. In addition, the size of a rectangular waveguide (known as aperture size) allows to cover a limited frequency range.
TERAmeasure vision is to establish the basis for a radically new measurement paradigm in the millimeter and Terahertz frequency ranges, overcoming the current obstacles to better measurements, which involves eliminating the frequency banded nature of rectangular waveguides and providing metrology-grade results across the full frequency range. To develop this vision we combine photonic integration technology, to realize a continuously tunable photonic-based signal source, with silicon dielectric waveguides, to create a novel non-contact ultrabroadband interconnect, which can operate continuously over the entire MMW and THz frequency spectrum.
Project Result #1: Photonic signal source
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a photonic integrated optical heterodyne signal source. This new signal generation approach allows providing two optical outputs, Optical RF and Optical LO that enable:
a) Wide frequency tuning range: The optical heterodyne sources must provide a continuous tuning range of the wavelength of one laser source with respect to the other greater that 24 nm (3 THz), and
b) Absolute frequency determination: The source will enable to determine the absolute value of the emission wavelengths of the two optical heterodyne systems through on-chip wavelength meters.
Project Result #2: Integrated Transceiver Chip
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a novel photomixer transmitter and receiver device structure, optimizing the electrical coupling between the device output to the dielectric waveguide structure.
The structure aims to maximize the power efficiency and operating frequency range. This has required the development of new etching processes by HHI to achieve the proposed new shape of the semiconductor developed at UC3M.
The deeply structured THz waveguides were developed in combination with Fe-doped InGaAs photoconductors. Structuring was performed by wet etching 100 μm deep into the substrate.
UC3M has filed a patent based on this novel concept.
Project Result #3: Development of a novel broadband non-contact interconnect
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a novel dielectric waveguide-based wideband interconnection technology aimed at unlocking an ultra-broadband contact-less interconnection interface between the probe and the Device-Under-Test.
Our approach resembles the current probe contact technology, to ease the adoption of our new solution by electronic industry. It is based on approximating a dielectric waveguide to the DUT substrate without the requirement to make physical contact between the two parts.
UC3M has applied to file a patent based on this novel concept.
TERAmeasure has demonstrated a novel non-contact probe concept, based on dielectric waveguides, to unlock the ultrawideband non-contact interconnection.
While in the first reporting period (RP1) we demonstrated the ultrawideband interconnect, in RP2 we demonstrated the non-contact RF probe interconnection using W1-driven RF probes, assessing the signal dependence on variations on Z-axis, X-axis, Y-axis as well as on Pitch-angle and Yaw-angle.
In RP3 we have developed and done an early demonstration of the calibration procedure of these probes, having developed a novel calibration substrate.
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a photonic integrated optical heterodyne signal source. This new signal generation approach allows providing two optical outputs, Optical RF and Optical LO that enable:
a) Wide frequency tuning range: The optical heterodyne sources must provide a continuous tuning range of the wavelength of one laser source with respect to the other greater that 24 nm (3 THz), and
b) Absolute frequency determination: The source will enable to determine the absolute value of the emission wavelengths of the two optical heterodyne systems through on-chip wavelength meters.
Project Result #2: Integrated Transceiver Chip
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a novel photomixer transmitter and receiver device structure, optimizing the electrical coupling between the device output to the dielectric waveguide structure.
The structure aims to maximize the power efficiency and operating frequency range. This has required the development of new etching processes by HHI to achieve the proposed new shape of the semiconductor developed at UC3M.
The deeply structured THz waveguides were developed in combination with Fe-doped InGaAs photoconductors. Structuring was performed by wet etching 100 μm deep into the substrate.
UC3M has filed a patent based on this novel concept.
Project Result #3: Development of a novel broadband non-contact interconnect
We have designed, fabricated and demonstrated a novel dielectric waveguide-based wideband interconnection technology aimed at unlocking an ultra-broadband contact-less interconnection interface between the probe and the Device-Under-Test.
Our approach resembles the current probe contact technology, to ease the adoption of our new solution by electronic industry. It is based on approximating a dielectric waveguide to the DUT substrate without the requirement to make physical contact between the two parts.
UC3M has applied to file a patent based on this novel concept.
TERAmeasure has demonstrated a novel non-contact probe concept, based on dielectric waveguides, to unlock the ultrawideband non-contact interconnection.
While in the first reporting period (RP1) we demonstrated the ultrawideband interconnect, in RP2 we demonstrated the non-contact RF probe interconnection using W1-driven RF probes, assessing the signal dependence on variations on Z-axis, X-axis, Y-axis as well as on Pitch-angle and Yaw-angle.
In RP3 we have developed and done an early demonstration of the calibration procedure of these probes, having developed a novel calibration substrate.
These advances will be applied to develop a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) that is able to provide calibrated amplitude and phase measurements across the MMW and THz spectrum. With the harmonic multiplication technology, to cover the range from 30 GHz to 1.1 THz, current VNA need 10 pairs of extension heads with a cost of $1.347.000. TERAmeasure target is enabling to cover a wider range, from 30 GHz to 3 THz, with a single head which costs below $12.000 an order of magnitude smaller.
Access to the MMW and THz wave ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, which gives access to large amounts of available bandwidth, is estimated to be worth USD 2,302.6 Million for the mobile & telecom application by 2023, and that the growth will take place at a CAGR of 35.2% between 2017 and 2023. We aim to take advantage of this market pull to unlock our technology into a wider range of applications than just communications. With PROTEMICS we will explore non-destructive testing, and with our advisory board, early detection of skin cancer as it has been shown that skin cancer cells absorb terahertz light more strongly than healthy cells, demonstrating potential for distinguishing between cancerous and healthy tissue. Current approaches use pulsed THz wave imaging, with low resolution (the cancer can only be seen after it has grown) and high cost ($200.000-$1.000.000).
Access to the MMW and THz wave ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, which gives access to large amounts of available bandwidth, is estimated to be worth USD 2,302.6 Million for the mobile & telecom application by 2023, and that the growth will take place at a CAGR of 35.2% between 2017 and 2023. We aim to take advantage of this market pull to unlock our technology into a wider range of applications than just communications. With PROTEMICS we will explore non-destructive testing, and with our advisory board, early detection of skin cancer as it has been shown that skin cancer cells absorb terahertz light more strongly than healthy cells, demonstrating potential for distinguishing between cancerous and healthy tissue. Current approaches use pulsed THz wave imaging, with low resolution (the cancer can only be seen after it has grown) and high cost ($200.000-$1.000.000).