Bit-to-THz: Universally Programmable THz Surfaces with Sub-wavelength Field and Response Synthesis
Abstract
Controlling electromagnetic fields and studying light-matter interactionsat Terahertz frequencies has been a subject of major focus" over the past decade aiming towards efficient THzsignal generation, sensitive detection and field manipulation (through active met""asurfaces). In this proposal, wepropose fundamental methods that can enable a programmable THz surface in a chip-scale technology f""or synthesisand sensing of THz signals, and whose spatial and spectral field configuration and response can be dynamicallyreconfig"ured on the fly (sub-10ps time scales). Successful development of chip-scale THz technology with suchprogrammable field response an"d radiated frequency spectrum through controlled temporal evolution of the field,can have a transformative impact in the field of T""Hz science and technology. Approaching that of a universalTHz surface, this is enabled through deep sub-wavelength sensing and synt"hesis of radiating THz surface currentswith controllable active devices that allows novel multi-functional THz surfaces. While ther"e is active researchin device-level optimization for higher efficiency THz signal generation or detection, in this proposal, we mov"ebeyond the search for the perfect THz device and demonstrate distributed and scalable methodologies that canenable multi-function"al chip-scale systems with moderately efficient devices. As shown in this proposal, this leadsto fundamentally new methodologies an"d design paradigms that break many of the well-known and assumed tradeoffsfor THz systems. This is clearly one of the most importan"t steps to enable a path towards realizing complexTHz systems. As an analog, one may look at the progress made in computing systems" which has successfullyachieved this by looking beyond the unidirectional goal for the perfect switch and generating a concerted ef"fort inthe field of boolean algebra, efficient computation, algorithms, supporting architectures and scalable processors.The latte"r part is severely lacking in the field of THz research and this proposal aims to cross that bridge.As we demonstrate in this propo"sal, being able to realize complex THz EM surfaces in the same substrate asmillions of active devices which can process, synthesize"" and sense THz signals at sub-wavelength scales, albeitnot very efficiently, can lead to systems with fundamentally design new meth""odologies and new capabilities. OnTHz response synthesis, we propose a radically different method to enable THz spectral estimation" though deepsub-wavelength sensing of near-field scattering on distributed radiating surfaces. This allows us to miniaturizetraditional THz spectral estimation methods employing complex and bulky optical-based THz-TDS systems withfs-lasers and mechanical delay lines into a single source-free (RF/optical) semiconductor chip. We also demonstratenew methods of reconfiguring THz response thro"ugh multi-port switching of complex THz EM interfaceswith active devices. In a similar fashion, we propose deep sub-wavelength synt""hesis and control of THz radiatingsurfaces which can be programmed both in the spectral and spatial domain, extending upto 1.2 THz"" with more than1 mW of radiated power. The proposed research, approaching that of an universally programmable THz surfacecan have"" transformative impact not only in the field of THz technology, but also the scientific methods it enables.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 05, 2017
- Source ID
- N000141712494
Entities
People
- Kaushik Sengupta
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Trustees of Princeton University
- United States Navy