Lower cost manufacturing of
Terahertz
systems could be on the way following the successful production of
a high frequency receiver with an antenna on one small chip.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have
produced a receiver measuring a few square millimetre which
includes an antenna, low noise amplifier, and frequency converter
which have been monolithically integrated on gallium
arsenide.
The circuit is designed to work at 220GHz, but Herbert Zirath,
professor at the Microwave Electronics department, believes the
technology could be used beyond 300GHz.
“This is a breakthrough in our research. In the next phase of this
project even more functions can be integrated on the same chip,”
said Zirath. “We now have the possibility of integrating imaging
sensors by using circuits of a few square millimetres, which is
much smaller that the present technology at a lower cost.”
This circuit could be used for safety systems, image sensors and
high bit rate radio communications.