All-electronic subpicosecond pulses for a 3-terahertz free-space signal generation and detection system
Abstract
We report first subpicosecond shock-waves ever generated and measured by electronic circuits. We have used these circuits with integrated antennas to generate and detect freely-propagating THz radiation. The circuits are monolithic nonlinear transmission lines fabricated on GaAs and, for peak efficiency, they operate at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Nonlinear transmission lines (NLTL's) have been used by several researchers for generating electronic shock-waves with picosecond transition times by compressing the wavefront generated by approximatety 0.5 W, approximately 5-10 GHz microwave power source. While the literature reflects continual decreases in these transition times, as measured both by diode sampling bridges and by electro-optic sampling, the fastest reported 10%-90% fall time thus far has been 1.4 ps, with a approximately 5 V amplitude. However, generating and measuring a sub-picosecond transition with an all-electronic device has been an elusive goal because a fundamental limitation has been the NLTL diode series resistance.
- Publication:
-
Ultra-Wideband, Short-Pulse Electromagnetics; 2nd WRI International Conference
- Pub Date:
- January 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993uwsp.conf...59V
- Keywords:
-
- Shock Waves;
- Signal Detection;
- Signal Generators;
- Wave Fronts;
- Electronic Equipment;
- Gallium Arsenides;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering