Philipp Hillger

A lens-integrated 430 GHz SiGe HBT source with up to −6.3 dBm radiated power

This paper presents a 430 GHz source implemented in a 0.13-µm SiGe BiCMOS technology with fT/fmax of 300 GHz/450 GHz. The source comprises a fundamental differential Colpitts cascode oscillator at 215 GHz driving a balanced common-collector doubler that utilizes inductive 2nd-harmonic feedback at the emitter output in order to boost the generated 2nd-harmonic current. The doubler is co-designed with a lens-coupled on-chip circular slot antenna providing the appropriate input impedance to the doubler output. In combination with a 3-mm diameter silicon-lens, the total peak radiated power is −6.3 dBm at a power dissipation of 165 mW. To the authors knowledge, the presented source shows the highest reported power for any silicon-based single-element radiator beyond 350 GHz.

NearSense – Advances Towards a Silicon-Based Terahertz Near-Field Imaging Sensor for Ex Vivo Breast Tumour Identification

Abstract Breast Cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer diseases worldwide, and the most common invasive tumour for women. As with all cancers, early detection plays a major role in reducing the mortality and morbidity rate. Currently, most breast cancers are detected due to clinical symptoms, or by screening mammography. The limitations of these techniques have resulted in research of alternative methods for imaging and detecting breast cancer. Apart from this, it is essential to define precise tumour margins during breast-conserving surgeries to reduce the re-excision rate. This study presents the advances in the development of a silicon-based THz sub-wavelength imager usable in life science applications, especially for tumour margin identification.