A mm-wave power source based on high power Schottky diode multipliers

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Teratech Components Ltd (Teratech) is requesting support to develop a novel mm-wavesource technology based on high power, high efficiency Schottky diode multipliers. Mostparts of the electromagnetic spectrum are well understood and exploited, but the terahertz(THz) region between microwaves and infrared is still largely unexplored. The ability to seethrough obscuring dielectric materials with higher spatial resolution than with microwaves,and the potential for high speed data transfer, makes the THz spectrum of particular interest: there is a clear and growing commercial market for sources of millimetre-wave power (and other components) in areas as diverse as thermal imaging (for security and medical purposes), millimetric radar, sub-millimetre spectroscopy, process technology, near field imaging at subwavelength resolution and high bandwidth data transfer. These, and other applications, are backed by an emerging international market in millimetre and sub-millimetre test instrumentation.We propose to prototype a method for generating power at ~100GHz with attractive features and potential advantages compared with other techniques. As well as addressing an immediate market need, this is an excellent opportunity to exploit Teratech’s unique Schottky diode foundry through innovative development of higher added value knowledge based component electronics in a developing technology field.Specifically, we propose to design and prototype a novel high power, high efficiencyfrequency doubler. This will be breadboarded with a lower frequency active multiplier andfrequency synthesiser to make a diode based millimetre-wave source, with higher outputpower and broader tuning range than alternative technologies.