ISBN 9783843917520

978-3-8439-1752-0, Reihe Elektrotechnik

Marko Gerhard
Development and Characterization of Broadband Metallic Waveguides and Compact Functional Components for Terahertz Technology

278 Seiten, Dissertation Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (2014), Softcover, A5

Zusammenfassung / Abstract

Terahertz technology has evolved to a highly topical field of research, providing a range of potential applications in areas such as sensing, spectroscopy, and imaging. This work deals with the enhancement of those applications by controlling the terahertz wave propagation using metallic waveguides. In addition, two waveguide-based functional components, suited for example for future high-speed communication and signal processing in this interesting spectral regime, are presented.

For this purpose, this thesis introduces a novel type of hollow-core aluminum waveguides with a high bandwidth, low dispersion, and an exceptionally strong 2D field confinement. After demonstrating an efficient coupling method, the applied fabrication process of laser micromaching is described and the resulting waveguide properties are compared to numerical calculations. Subsequently, a 1D photonic crystal is incorporated into the waveguides by periodically corrugating the inner waveguide wall. A center point defect consequently yields a high-Q micro-resonator with a compact size of only few grating periods. Moreover, the development of a highly sensitive integrated ridge waveguide-based Mach-Zehnder interferometer is illustrated.

The presented technology of planar aluminum terahertz waveguides provides a variety of functionalities with the advantages of a compact, flexible design and a convenient fabrication, which are essential requirements of future functional integrated terahertz circuitry.