Noise Sources for 0.1 - 1.0 THz

This research is responsive to NASA SBIR Subtopic S11.03: Technologies for Passive Microwave Remote Sensing (SBIR), Scope Title: Components or Methods to Improve Sensitivity, Calibration, or Resolution of Microwave/Millimeter-Wave Radiometers; specifically, the bullet item “Noise sources from G-band up to 1 THz with >6 dB ENR (excess noise ratio).” VDI’s primary goal is the development of noise sources with sufficient stability for radiometry that can be extended throughout the 0.1 – 1 THz range for scientific and commercial applications. This goal is being achieved by initially focusing on the frequency bands that will enable NASA’s remote sensing programs, such as V-WiSHeS and PolSIR, as well as weather monitoring programs. The project has four objectives – • The development and fabrication of noise diodes, using new materials and designs. • The packaging of the noise diodes into noise sources, for specific frequency bands of interest to NASA and to demonstrate and develop the technology. • The development of noise source characterization methods and specifications for the noise sources that ensure performance and quality. • An evaluation of the noise sources for use in Waveguide-based Internal Calibration, which can enable radiometer system simplification. NASA funds will be used for personnel (design, diode-IC fabrication, assembly, testing, and evaluation) and procurement of custom machined waveguide housings. The initial target market is atmospheric remote sensing and weather monitoring. Additional markets include laboratory measurements of receivers, radiometers, and LNAs. The noise sources developed will be immediately available to the scientific community and commercial markets.

NASA applications for next generation terahertz noise sources include heliophysics missions, studies of the Earth’s atmosphere, weather monitoring, and planetary studies. An additional application is laboratory test equipment for the evaluation and calibration of receiver systems, radiometers and LNAs. The WR1.5 noise sources, for example, will be useful for the NASA V-WiSHeS and PolSIR programs. The potential use of noise diodes with long-term stability for Waveguide-based Internal Calibration is a potentially game-changing innovation that could greatly simplify radiometer systems by eliminating optical calibration systems (with moving parts) that increase mass and volume, reduce data collection rates, and degrade system reliability. This technique has been used successfully at microwave frequencies (Piepmeier et al., "SMAP L-Band Microwave Radiometer: Instrument Design and First Year on Orbit," IEEE Trans. Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 55, no. 4, pp. 1954-1966, April 2017) and could be extended to higher frequencies if suitably stable diode-based noise sources are developed. VDI will not only develop the first noise sources in the 0.1 - 1.0 THz range, but also prove their long-term stability for Waveguide-based Internal Calibration. Noise sources are a critical element in all radiometer systems. Stable and reliable diode-based noise sources can greatly simplify radiometer system designs and operations. However, this technology has been largely absent much above 100 GHz due to the lack of suitable noise diodes. Through the development of advanced noise diodes using innovative designs and materials, VDI will extend the range of diode-based noise sources across the entire frequency band of interest for NASA programs, from 100 GHz to 1 THz. This effort will support not only scientific missions such as heliophysics and atmospheric remote sensing, but also commercial weather monitoring using CubeSat constellations. The noise sources will also be valuable for laboratories that develop and test receivers, radiometers and low noise amplifiers. Commercial Test and Measurement is likely to be the largest market for the new noise sources.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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