Yu-Tai Li

100 GHz ultra-wideband (UWB) fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) system for in-building and in-home networks

Fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) system can be a cost-effective technique for distributing high frequency signals from the head-end office to a number of remote antenna units via passive optical splitter and propagating through low-loss and low-cost optical fibers. Here, we experimentally demonstrate an optical ultra-wideband (UWB) - impulse radio (IR) FTTA system for in-building and in-home applications. The optical UWB-IR wireless link is operated in the W-band (75 GHz - 110 GHz) using our developed near-ballistic unitraveling-carrier photodiode based photonic transmitter (PT) and a 10 GHz mode-locked laser. 2.5 Gb/s UWB-IR FTTA systems with 1,024 high split-ratio and transmission over 300 m optical fiber are demonstrated using direct PT modulation.

Investigation on spectral loss characteristics of subwavelength terahertz fibers

By measuring the spectral loss characteristics of subwavelength-diameter terahertz fibers, our study supports the recent theory proposed by M. Sumetsky [Opt. Lett. 31, 870 (2006)] that diameter-variation-induced radiation is a dominant loss mechanism for subwavelength fibers in the low- (<1%) core-fraction-power regime. This physical mechanism limits the lowest guidable frequency in a subwavelength fiber.

Manipulating terahertz wave by a magnetically tunable liquid crystal phase grating

This investigation demonstrates the feasibility of a magnetically tunable liquid crystal phase grating for the terahertz wave. The phase grating can be used as a beam splitter. The ratio of the zeroth and first-order diffracted THz-beams (0.3 THz) polarized in a direction perpendicular to that of the grooves of the grating can be tuned from 4:1 to 1:2. When the THz wave is polarized in any other direction, this device can be operated as a polarizing beam splitter.

Electrically Controlled Liquid Crystal Phase Grating for Terahertz Waves

This work demonstrates the feasibility of electrically controlled liquid-crystal-based phase grating for manipulating the terahertz (THz) waves. This device can be utilized as a THz beam splitter and the beam splitting ratio of the zeroth- to the first-order diffractions can be tuned from 10:1 to 1:1.

Bandwidth enhancement phenomenon of a high-speed GaAs–AlGaAs based unitraveling carrier photodiode with an optimally designed absorption layer at an 830nm wavelength

In this letter, the authors introduce a GaAs∕AlGaAs based unitraveling carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) for a wavelength of around 830nm. There is significant bias- and output-current-dependent bandwidth enhancement phenomena observed with this device. According to their microwave and optical-to-electrical measurement results, such distinct phenomena can occur under a much lower current density (0.3mA∕μm2 vs 0.05mA∕μm2) than previously reported for InP–InGaAs UTC-PDs. This can be attributed to the self-induced field in the absorption region, made possible due to the optimized p-type doping profile.

Photonic Impulse-Radio Wireless Link at

A W-band photonic transmitter-mixer, constructed by integrating a planar quasi-yagi radiator for feeding the WR-10 waveguide-based horn antenna and a near-ballistic uni-traveling-carrier photodiode, is used with a mode-locked fiber laser to obtain 2.5-Gb/s impulse-radio (IR) wireless data transmission at around a center frequency of 100 GHz. The bias-modulation technique provides less jitter and a longer maximum transmission distance compared with the technique of modulating the optical pulse train using an electrooptics modulator. Using the bias-modulation technique, we achieve a 2.5-Gb/s IR wireless data transmission.

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Terahertz wave (THz) photoconductive (PC) antennas were fabricated on oxygen-implanted GaAs (GaAs:O) and low-temperature-grown GaAs (LT-GaAs). The measured cw THz power at 0.358 THz from the GaAs:O antenna is about twice that from the LT-GaAs antenna under the same testing conditions, with the former showing no saturation up to a bias of 40 kV/cm, while the latter is already beginning to saturate at 20 kV/cm. A modified theoretical model incorporating bias-field-dependent electron saturation velocity is employed to explain the results. It shows that GaAs:O exhibits a higher electron saturation velocity, which may be further exploited to generate even larger THz powers by reducing the ion dosage and optimizing the annealing process in GaAs:O.

-Band Using a Near-Ballistic Uni-Traveling-Carrier Photodiode-Based Photonic Transmitter-Mixer

We describe in detail the characterization of two high-power photonic transmitters based on two different kinds of high-power photodiodes, one a GaAs/AlGaAs based uni-traveling-carrier photodiode (UTC-PD) and the other a separated- transport-recombination photodiode (STR-PD). The diodes operate under optical pulse excitation at the 800 nm wavelength. Both PDs have the same total depletion layer thickness (same theoretical RC-limited bandwidth) and are monolithically integrated with the same broadband micro-machined circular disk monopole antennas to radiate strong sub-THz pulses. However the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits very different dynamic and static performance from that of the UTC-PD based transmitter due to the existence of a low-temperature-grown GaAs (LTG-GaAs) based recombination center inside the active region, and the much thinner thickness of effective depletion layer. Under optical pulse excitation (~ 480 pJ/pulse), the STR-PD based transmitter exhibits a much lower maximum averaged output photocurrent (1.2 mA versus 0.3 mA) than that of the UTC-PD transmitter, although the radiated electrical pulse-width and maximum peak-power, which are measured by the same THz time-domain spectroscopic (TDS) system, of both devices are comparable. These results indicate that although the recombination center in the STR-PD degrades its DC responsivity, it effectively improves the high-speed and output power performance of the device and eliminates the DC component of the photocurrent, which should minimize device-heating problem during high-power operation. The radiated waveforms of both devices under intense optical pulse illumination also exhibit excellent linearity and strong bias dependent magnitude. This suggests their suitability for application as photonic emitters and possibly as a data modulator in sub-THz impulse-radio communication systems.

Comparison of continuous-wave terahertz wave generation and bias-field-dependent saturation in GaAs:O and LT-GaAs antennas.

We demonstrate a novel photonic transmitter, which is composed of a low-temperature-grown GaAs (LTG-GaAs)-based separated-transport-recombination photodiode and a micromachined slot antenna. Under femtosecond optical pulse illumination, this device radiates strong electrical pulses (4.5-mW peak power) without the use of a Si-lens. It can be observed in the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer spectrum of radiated pulses that a significant resonance, with a peak power of approximately 300 muW, occurs at 500 GHz, which corresponds to the designed resonant frequency of the slot antenna. The saturation problem related to the output terahertz power that occurs with the traditional LTG-GaAs-based photonic-transmitters when operated under high external applied electrical fields (>50 kV/cm) has been eliminated by the use of our device

Characterization and Comparison of GaAs/AlGaAs Uni-Traveling Carrier and Separated-Transport-Recombination Photodiode Based High-Power Sub-THz Photonic Transmitters

A novel photonic transmitter for wireless terahertz (THz) impulse-radio (IR) communication is realized by monolithic integration of a GaAs-AlGaAs-based uni-traveling-carrier (UTC) photodiode with a substrate-removed broadband antenna. The device can radiate strong sub-THz pulses (20-mW peak-power) with a narrow pulsewidth (<2 ps) and wide bandwidth (100 ~ 250 GHz). The maximum average power emitted by our device, under the same THz time-domain spectroscopic setup, is around ten times higher than that of the low-temperature-grown GaAs-based photoconductive antenna, while with a much lower dc bias (9 versus 35 V). The bias-dependent peak output powers of our devices suggest their suitability for application as a data modulator/emitter for photonic THz IR communication.