TERACOMP
Book chapter, 2011

Sub-millimetre wave or terahertz heterodyne receivers are key instruments for many space applications. For example, they are required for monitoring of the earth’s atmosphere or detection of molecules that might be tracers of life on other planets or moons. However, key components of these systems are currently supplied from outside Europe and performance as well as mass and power requirements often prohibit the implementation. The TeraComp project aims at developing European industrial level capability to design and manufacture terahertz front-end electronics based on high frequency Schottky diodes, Heterostructure Barrier Varactor (HBV) diodes and mHEMT MMICs for space and other applications. The prototype components will be integrated into a compact 557 GHz heterodyne receiver and evaluated for space instrument applications. The front-end demonstrator consists of a low noise 557 GHz subharmonic Schottky diode mixer, a 275 GHz Heterostructure Barrier Varactor frequency tripler and a 92 GHz mHEMT power amplifiers and a 15 to 92 GHz 6x multiplier as part of the local oscillator chain. This development will significantly contribute to mass and power reduction and it will improve the performance of terahertz heterodyne receivers. In addition, the dependence on critical technologies and capabilities from outside Europe for future space applications will be reduced.

mHEMT MMICs

HBV

Schottky

terahertz heterodyne receivers

Author

Jan Stake

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory

Huan Zhao Ternehäll

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory

Axel Hülsmann

Tomas Bryllert

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory

Heinz-Wilhelm Hübers

Tom Johansen

Viktor Krozer

let´s embrace space

405-409
978-92-79-19704-8 (ISBN)

Areas of Advance

Information and Communication Technology

Driving Forces

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Infrastructure

Nanofabrication Laboratory

Subject Categories

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

ISBN

978-92-79-19704-8

More information

Created

10/6/2017