Arrangement for the electro-optical control and fast modulation of THz transmitters and THz measuring systems

US8064740B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. · DE
• Technische Universität Darmstadt · DE

Inventors

• Bernd Sartorius · Berlin, DE
• Michael Feiginov · Tokyo, JP
• Cezary Sydlo · Frankenthal (Pfalz), DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 30, 2007
• Grant date: Nov 22, 2011
• Expiry date: Nov 6, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S5/4025
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An inexpensive and compact arrangement for the electrical control and fast modulation of THz transmitters and THz measuring systems is proposed, wherein said arrangement is stable, requires no mechanical movements and operates with a purely electric control, consumes little power and also has a high speed potential for the phase modulation. This is achieved by replacing the components known from the state of the art, namely two lasers, the beam splitters, the couplers and the mechanically moved delay line, with a compact monolithic or hybrid integrated chip (10), particularly a so-called optical master chip without moving parts that comprises at least the two lasers (1, 2), the beam splitters (S3.1, S3.2), the couplers (K3.1, K3.2) and a phase modulator (4.1) for one of the laser waves such that the two generated beat signals are respectively delivered to different chip outputs (6, 7) in order to separately control the THz transmitter and the local oscillator.