Monday, September 14, 2015

Abstract-Frequency-division multiplexing in the terahertz range using a leaky-wave antenna


Nature Photonics
 
 
doi:10.1038/nphoton.2015.176
Received
 
Accepted
 
Published online
 
http://www.nature.com/nphoton/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nphoton.2015.176.html

The idea of using radiation in the 0.1–1.0 THz range as carrier waves for free-space wireless communications has attracted growing interest in recent years, due to the promise of the large available bandwidth12. Recent research has focused on system demonstrations34, as well as the exploration of new components for modulation5, beam steering6 and polarization control7. However, the multiplexing and demultiplexing of terahertz signals remains an unaddressed challenge, despite the importance of such capabilities for broadband networks. Using a leaky-wave antenna based on a metal parallel-plate waveguide, we demonstrate frequency-division multiplexing and demultiplexing over more than one octave of bandwidth. We show that this device architecture offers a unique method for controlling the spectrum allocation, by variation of the waveguide plate separation. This strategy, which is distinct from those previously employed in either the microwave8 or optical9regimes, enables independent control of both the centre frequency and bandwidth of multiplexed terahertz channels.

At a glance

Figures

left
  1. Schematic of the multiplexer.
    Figure 1
  2. Free-space-to-waveguide coupling.
    Figure 2
  3. Multiplexing of terahertz signals from two transmitters.
    Figure 3
  4. Tuning the channel frequency with plate separation.
    Figure 4

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