GaAs Schottky Diode Technology for Terahertz Harmonic Mixers

The initial Phase 2 project is focused on the development and demonstration of two prototype receiver modules, the first at 2.5 THz and the second at 4.7 THz. This includes efforts to extend the integrated mixer technology to these higher frequencies with useful sensitivity for NASA missions and the development of more powerful and power efficient local oscillator sources to pump the mixers. This Phase 2E proposal seeks to further extend the technology described above to develop and demonstrate a highly integrated and compact prototype 2.5 THz receiver that can serve as an engineering model for the Submillimeter Solar Observation Lunar Volatiles Experiment (SSOLVE) mission. The effort includes determination of the best Schottky mixer architecture for missions like SSOLE, the development of compact and efficient local oscillator sources and advanced testing of the receiver system. This includes investigations of the turn-on characteristics of the receivers, with the goal of reducing the effect of transient performance on data collection. The program also includes the design, development and production of a dual band optical system for the 2.5 THz receiver and a second receiver (at 560 GHz) being developed through the associated Phase 2 and 3 efforts. The result of this project will be a compact dual band receiver system that will serve as an engineering model for SSOLVE.

Terahertz receivers are important for astronomy, atmospheric and planetary studies, and heliophysics. The work presented here is particularly relevant GSFC’s Submillimeter Solar Observation Lunar Volatiles Experiment (SSOLVE). Improved local oscillator sources are also needed for airborne missions such as NASA’s present GUSTO and SOFIA missions, as well as proposed follow-on projects. As the technology becomes more compact and power efficient, it will also play a role in the investigations of planetary atmospheres.

As commercially available sources and receivers have increased in frequency and improved in reliability and cost, new applications continue to emerge in basic science, security and industrial imaging and high data rate communications. This research will foster the development of frequency extenders for signal generators and network and signal analyzers beyond the present limit of ~1.5 THz.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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