Silicon Based Local Oscillator Source Array at 1.9 THz

We plan to design, fabricate and test an integrated 64-pixel local oscillator (LO) array operating at 1.8 - 2.1 THz that utilizes silicon micromachining to enable hundreds of pixels. Essential to our understanding of stellar formation, this array will permit rapid high-resolution spectral mapping of the [CII] and [OI] spectral lines in the 1.8 - 2.1 THz region, across wide sections of the sky. This technology has the potential to reduce the mass, volume and complexity of receivers arrays while significantly increase the pixel count of detectors. This local oscillator source array will utilize silicon as the main material for all the waveguide circuitry as well as a unique configuration of GaAs Schottky diodes on reticles. The proposed work will advance the technology in several key areas: • The development of a novel Schottky diode schematic to allow a wafer level integration of 16 multipliers on the same chip using a GaAs membrane frame. • The integration of all passive and active components into a compact silicon package with vertical integration of the waveguide feeds. The GaAs reticle will be one of the vertically stacked wafers. • The utilization of commercially available state of the art amplifiers at 200 GHz to reduce the power consumption per pixel.

The Astrophysics Research and Analysis program (APRA) supports suborbital and suborbital-class investigations, development of detectors and supporting technology, laboratory astrophysics, and limited ground-based observing. Basic research proposals in these areas are solicited for investigations that are relevant to NASA's programs in astronomy and astrophysics, including the entire range of photons, gravitational waves, and particle astrophysics. The emphasis of this solicitation is on technologies and investigations that advance NASA astrophysics missions and goals.

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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