PECASE: Widely tunable monolithic THz waveguides, lasers, and arrays

项目摘要目的本课题的研究目标是研究和开发基于单片电压可调谐超材料波导的广泛连续可调谐太赫兹量子级联激光器和其他有源器件。这些波导基于传输在线超材料概念，其中色散关系是通过集成电容元件的电气控制来调节的。目标包括演示各种配置的广泛可调谐太赫兹激光源，包括可调谐分布式反馈激光器、可调谐主振荡器功率放大器和波束可控制相控阵太赫兹激光发射器。智能优点是将可调谐超材料概念与激光波导相结合，其中传输敏感地依赖于嵌入式电路元件的值。这种方法可以实现比使用温度或其他电气技术更广泛的可调范围，具有高度的单片集成。放大器和分布式反馈配置的演示将允许输出功率缩放到几毫瓦或更大的指令光束模式。更广泛的影响更广泛的影响在于实现可调谐半导体激光器的新方法的发展。此外，太赫兹技术需要用于传感、成像和光谱学的改进源和探测器。本教育计划的核心是透过发展协调的宣传、外展和训练计划，以及直接雇用本科生从事本研究，来加强电气工程系的本科生研究。将利用多种校园资源来吸引和资助代表性不足的少数民族学生参与这项研究和工程。

Proposal ECCS 1150071Project AbstractObjectiveThe research objective of this proposal is the investigation and development of widely and continuously tunable terahertz quantum-cascade lasers and other active devices based upon monolithic and voltage tunable metamaterial waveguides. These waveguides are based on the transmission-line metamaterial concept in which the dispersion relation is tuned by electrical control of integrated capacitive elements. Goals include demonstration of widely tunable terahertz laser sources in various configurations, including tunable distributed feedback lasers, tunable master-oscillator power-amplifiers, and beam-steerable phased-array THz laser emitters. Intellectual MeritThe intellectual merit is the integration of tunable metamaterial concepts with laser waveguides, in which propagation is sensitively dependent on values of embedded circuit elements. This approach can achieve a much wider range of tunability than can be achieved using temperature or other electrical techniques, with a high degree of monolithic integration. The demonstration of amplifier and distributed feedback configurations will allow the output power to be scaled to several milliwatts or greater with a directive beam pattern. Broader ImpactsThe broader impacts lie in the development of a new approach for achieving tunable semiconductor lasers. Additionally, terahertz technology requires improved sources and detectors for sensing, imaging, and spectroscopy. The core of the educational plan is to enhance undergraduate research within the Electrical Engineering department through the development of a coordinated publicity, outreach, and training program, as well as directly employing undergraduates in this research. Multiple campus resources will be leveraged to attract and fund underrepresented minority students to this research and engineering in general.