Scalable design of high-performance on-chip Terahertz source and imager

In this thesis, two chip designs using the scalable array architecture are introduced. Firstly, we introduce a scalable architecture of coherent harmonic oscillator array for high-power and collimated radiation beam at mid-THz band. The array is 2D-coupled, and each element achieves these functions: (i) maximize oscillation at fundamental frequency fo= 2 50 GHz; (ii) synchronize phase of fo and its harmonics among elements; (iii) cancel near-field radiation of fo, 2fo and 3fo, and (iv) efficiently radiate at 4fo and combine power in free space. The resultant compact design fits into the optimal radiator pitch of [lambda]/2 (half wavelength) for side-lobe suppression and enables high density implementation of THz arrays. An array prototype of 42 coherent radiators, or 91 resonant antennas, at 1 THz is also presented using IHP S13G2 130-nm SiGe process. The chip occupies 1-mm 2 area and consumes 1.1 W of DC power. The measured total radiated power and effective isotropically-radiated power (EIRP) are 80 pW and 13 dBm, respectively. Secondly, we introduce a scalable architecture of coherent receiver array for beam-steerable imaging. The array is also 2D-coupled, and each element achieves theses functions: (i) maximize oscillation at fo=120 GHz; (ii) synchronize phase of fo and its harmonics among elements; (iii) cancel radiation of fo and 2fo; and (iv) receive and down-convert RF signal near 2fo=240 GHz and output baseband signal for digital beam-forming. Chip is fabricated using TSMC 65nm LP CMOS technology.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2017

Author dc:creator

• Hu, Zhi, Ph. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ruonan Han.

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/113973

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/113973