In this paper, a prototype G-band (140 GHz-220 GHz) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) resonant tunneling diode (RTD) oscillator is reported. The oscillator employs two In_0.53Ga_0.47As/AlAs RTD devices in the circuit to increase the output power. The measured output power was about 0.34 mW (-4.7 dBm) at 165.7 GHz, which is the highest power reported for RTD oscillator in G-band frequency range. This result demonstrates the validity of the high frequency/high power RTD oscillator design. It indicates that RTD devices, as one of the terahertz (THz) source candidates, have promising future for room-temperature THz applications in such as imaging, wireless communication and spectroscopy analysis, etc. By optimizing RTD oscillator design, it is expected that considerably higher power (>1 mW) at THz frequencies (>300 GHz) will be obtained.

Date Published: 21 October 2015
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 9651, Millimetre Wave and Terahertz Sensors and Technology VIII, 96510E (21 October 2015); doi: 10.1117/12.2198003

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9651:
Millimetre Wave and Terahertz Sensors and Technology VIII
Neil A. Salmon; Eddie L. Jacobs, Editor(s)