EP3298424A1

EP3298424A1 - Method and system for generating and detecting centimetre, millimetre or sub- millimetre electromagnetic waves and especially terahertz electromagnetic waves

Info

Publication number: EP3298424A1
Application number: EP16724404.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Richard Al Hadi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-05-21
Filing date: 2016-05-20
Publication date: 2018-03-28
Also published as: FR3036532A1; FR3036532B1; US20180128900A1; WO2016185010A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for generating and detecting centimetre, sub-millimetre or millimetre electromagnetic waves and preferably terahertz electromagnetic waves, wherein a single electronic device (1, 3) is used both as a source to generate the waves and as a detector to detect the waves emitted by the source. It also relates to the associated system.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GENERATING AND DETECTING CENTIMETRIC, MILLIMETERIC OR ELECTROMAGNETIC ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES

SUBMILLIME TRIQUES, IN PARTICULAR TERAHERTZ

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method and a system for generating and detecting centimetric, millimetric or submillimetric electromagnetic waves, preferably in the terahertz domain.

The terahertz domain designates electromagnetic waves whose frequency extends from 100 GHz (Gigahertz) to 30 THz (Terahertz), for millimetric or submillimetric wavelengths, typically between 30 μιη and 3 mm.

In general, the invention aims to make simpler, more compact and less expensive systems for generating and detecting Terahertz waves.

State of the art

The centimetric, millimetric and submillimetric waves can be generated and detected by several devices that can be classified according to their characteristics and parameters in three categories: the devices that are hereinafter referred to as thermal, optical and finally electronic devices.

With regard to thermal devices, heat sources are natural generators of millimeter and submillimeter waves. The black body is a source of broad spectrum radiation. Filters can be used to filter millimeter and submillimetric waves.

Among the thermal detectors that convert the millimeter and submillimeter waves into thermal energy, we can cite the bolo meters, so-called pyroelectric devices, ie in a material in which a temperature change causes a variation in electrical polarization, and the Golay cells which are a type of opto-acoustic detectors mainly used in infrared spectroscopy. Thermal detectors are used to detect temperature variations, and for some, passively detect millimeter and submillimeter waves emitted by the environment. They are then sensitive to infrared waves and require the use of filters. In addition, temperature variations are subject to heat dissipation laws that make the response time of these thermal detectors long: [1]. FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a thermal system in which the transmission source 1 THz is the natural environment and the waves THz reemitted by an object 2 by reflection or by an object 2 'by transmission can be detected by a detector As in the illustrated example, the bolometer may be integrated as a camera module, which includes a lens 30 and a focal plane array 31 comprising a plurality of radiation detectors.

There are two types of optical millimeter and submillimeter wave sources: those emitting continuous waves ("Continues Wave" in English acronym CW) and those emitting pulsed waves. Among the sources CW, mention may be made of low pressure gas sources excited by C0 ₂ lasers or photo-mixers also used as CW detectors.

Quantum cascade lasers (abbreviated QCL for "Quantum Cascade Laser") can work in CW mode as well as in pulsed mode. Time Domain Spectrometers (TDS) are pulsed generators used as broadband sources.

The publication [3] describes a quantum cascade laser whose source and detector are combined within a device. The disadvantages of the disclosed device are numerous among which may be mentioned:

the need to perform cryogenic cooling for operation,

a high DC power dissipation,

a realization in thin film technology difficult to implement,

- a very irregular output signal. Indeed, because of the wave dispersion in a quantum cascade laser, the beam is uncontrolled which results in an irregularity.

Finally, with regard to electronic devices, there are a variety of electronic sources such as back wave oscillators (abbreviated BWO for Backward Wave Oscillators) and gyrotrons, as described in the publication [3], which require an intense magnetic field to work.

However, the market is currently dominated by multiplied sources based on Gunn or Tunnel effect diodes. These sources are relatively Compact in comparison to BWOs and gyrotrons, they are manufactured in III-V diode technology, and use waveguide technologies that can be difficult to integrate.

In recent years, particular interest has been brought to integrated silicon technology in the field of millimeter and sub-millimeter waves. Silicon technology is available, robust, and cheap.

The first patents, among which mention may be made of US Pat. No. 3,830,111B2, which relate to the millimeter and submillimetric wave detection devices in silicon technology concern direct power detectors. The operation of these detectors consists of using the signal rectification properties of transistors beyond the cutoff frequencies (fT / fmax). These detectors are integrated with an antenna and a reading circuit.

The patent application US 2014/0091376 discloses an optimization of this type of detectors.

US Patent 8907284B2 discloses an integration of this type of detectors in the form of a camera.

Heterodyne detectors are more sensitive than direct power detectors. The operation of the heterodyne detectors consists of transposing the energy of a part of the spectrum at lower frequency (called "intermediate") before detecting it. Thus, a heterodyne detector comprises a mixer ("mixer" in English) and a local oscillator ("Local Oscillator" in English) which acts as millimeter reference or submillimetric reference reference. When an external source excites the input of the mixer, usually denoted RF for Radio Frequency signal, an intermediate frequency usually denoted FI for Intermediate Frequency (IF) signal is collected at the output. Such operation is for example described in patent application US 2014/070893.

In addition, heterodyne devices require a millimeter or submillimetric wave source to operate. The limit for realizing millimeter or submillimeter wave sources in silicon technology is the cutoff frequency of the components (fT / fmax).

Harmonic systems are then implemented, they can be of free oscillator type, as described in the publications [4, 5], of the locked oscillator type as described in publication [6] or as a multiplication chain, as described in publication [7].

FIG. 2 schematically shows the operating principle of an electronic device THz with harmonics according to the publication [5]: it is a question of illuminating in an unfocused way an object 2 with the aid of a source of THz 1 transmission for active imaging in transmission mode. The source matrix 11 thus emits millimeter and submillimetric waves that the objective 10 transmits to the illuminated object 2. The millimeter and submillimetric waves reemitted by the object 2 are picked up by the objective 30 of the detector (objective) 3 and then detected by the focal plane array 31. In other words, in this case, the source matrix 11 which can be programmed, provides a backlight to the focal plane array 31. According to the authors of this publication [5], this has the advantage to allow a video camera, CMOS type to acquire the images in real time without the need for scanning or beam orientation.

The disadvantages of all devices for generating and detecting millimeter and submillimeter wave exist.

Firstly, the performance of the detection devices made in silicon technology are up to now limited. It is therefore necessary to necessarily associate them with transmission devices.

In the case where a coherent detection device is necessary, it is also difficult to send the same wave reference to the detector as to the source.

In addition, regardless of the type of existing detectors, they do not allow the extraction of phase change or frequency of the THz sources detected.

Finally, regardless of the type of existing generators and detectors, all the systems that have been implemented to date have only been considered with two distinct devices, one for the program and one for other for detection. However, implementing two separate devices involves a difficulty of development, a high cost and ultimately a complex system.

There is therefore a need to improve the millimeter and submillimeter wave (THz) generation and detection systems, in particular in order to allow coherent detection with the same wave reference as the source, to enable extraction by the detector, phase change or source frequency and simplify their implementation and reduce their cost.

The object of the invention is to meet at least part of this need.

Presentation of the invention

To this end, one aspect of the invention is a method for generating and detecting centimetric, sub-millimetric or millimetric electromagnetic waves, preferably Terahertz, in which a single electronic device is used as a source of generation and as a detector of the waves emitted from the source.

The subject of the invention is also a system for generating and detecting centimetric, sub-millimeter or millimeter electromagnetic waves, preferably Terahertz, comprising a single electronic device constituting both a source of generation and the detector of waves emitted since source.

By "electronic device" is meant a device whose components are made in 3D component integration technology. Integration technologies are multiple. An example is the CMOS technology (acronym for "Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor") but the invention is not restricted to this technology and can be applied to any electronic component. Another example of integration is the III-V diode technology or a very large-scale integration (VLSI) technology or a technology for integrating bipolar transistors. with heterojunction (HBT, of the English "Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor").

Surprisingly, the inventor thinks of realizing the generation and detection of centimetric, millimetric or submillimetric waves with the same electronic device.

The inventor thus overcame a universal prejudice in the field of THz waves according to which in terms of system design, it was imperative to design a source of emission independently of the detector.

In other words, all designers of THz systems have so far thought that such systems could only be implemented with two separate devices, namely a source of emission and a detector. The advantages of the invention are numerous among which we can enumerate those which follow.

The main advantage of a system according to the invention is the simplicity of implementation including simplified optical assembly, compactness and cost necessarily reduced compared to THz systems according to the state of the art.

Furthermore, the invention avoids the need to develop two distinct wave processing chains, or to use a diplexer, ie a two-way THz frequency passive telecommunications device, each of which with a frequency filter, without covering the bandwidths, and three doors, one being common to both channels, and the other two being isolated from each other, and respectively terminating each of the channels.

The system according to the invention can operate at ambient temperature, and can be integrated in a multi-pixel configuration of the camera type.

The emission and detection of the same wave according to the invention makes it possible to envisage a coherent detection, with the possibility of detecting the amplitude of the wave, but also its phase. If a variable frequency source is used, then it can be used for distance detection (radar), but also for the extraction of the dielectric properties of various materials.

By "coherent THz radiation" is meant here and in the context of the invention, either a monochromatic radiation of high spectral purity, or a THz pulse whose different spectral components have a well-defined phase relationship which conditions the shape time of the pulse.

Finally, a system according to the invention may have a matrix size that can be modulated in transmission and detection. This allows an imager type integration.

According to a first advantageous embodiment, the system may comprise at least one adjustable-frequency AC power source equipped with an antenna.

Two adjustable frequency AC power sources with current mirrors can be provided.

According to this first mode, one can consider various advantageous variants with the choice: a polarization T connected between the antenna and a low impedance current amplifier which is itself connected to a voltage source, the output of the amplifier defining the detection output of the device,

a polarization T connected between the antenna and a high impedance current amplifier which is itself connected to a current source, the output of the amplifier defining the detection output of the device,

- A grounded differential antenna connected to a low impedance current amplifier itself connected to a voltage source, the output of the amplifier defining the detection output of the device. The advantage of this variant is the absence of polarization T,

- An earthed differential antenna connected to a high impedance current amplifier itself connected to a current source, the output of the amplifier defining the detection output of the device.

The advantage of the systems according to the first mode is the integration in circuit with an analog and digital block interface for signal processing.

According to a second embodiment, the system may comprise at least one frequency source equipped with an antenna. According to this second mode, two differential frequency sources of the "N-push" type equipped with a differential antenna can be provided. The invention is not limited to this type of sources. On the other oscillators can ^"be used, such as linear oscillators as said oscillators Armstrong Hartley, Colpitts, Clapp, Pierce phase shift, Wien bridge, type LC cross-coupled to Robinson or nonlinear or relaxation oscillators, such as a multivibrator, oscillator with a neon lamp, ring oscillator, called Royer or a so-called delay line oscillator.

The system according to the invention may comprise one or more frequency multiplication chains with a buffer circuit.

Advantageously, the system may comprise one or more steerable beam antennas by an electrical control circuit. It is thus possible to create images in real time by combining the desired orientation of the beam transmitted / received by the antenna with a generation and detection from the same device. The invention also relates to the use of the method or system according to one of the claims described above for imaging, in particular near-field imaging.

detailed description

Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge more clearly from a reading of the detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, given for illustrative and nonlimiting purposes, with reference to the following figures among which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the state of the art, with the environment as a source of emission,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the state of the art, with an unfocused illumination on an object,

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a first centimeter, millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a second centimeter, millimeter and submillimeter wave generation and detection system according to the invention,

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a third centimeter, millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the invention,

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a fourth centimeter, millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the invention,

FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views of centimeter, millimeter and submillimeter wave generation and detection system variants according to the invention, in which the single device is a harmonic oscillator with an antenna and a differential antenna respectively,

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a centimetric, millimetric and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the invention, with a harmonic oscillator allowing the possible detection of the phase and amplitude variations of the waves,

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of a variant of a millimeter and submillimeter wave generation and detection system according to the invention, with an improved reading circuit,

FIGS. 11 and 12 are diagrammatic views of centimeter, millimeter and submillimeter wave generation and detection system variants according to the invention, in which the single device comprises a buffer circuit with an antenna and a differential antenna, respectively. ,

FIG. 13 is a schematic view of a variant of a centimetric, millimeter and submillimetric wave generation and detection system according to the invention, using a set of steerable beam antennas by an electrical control circuit,

FIG. 14 schematically shows the reconstruction of an image from an orientable beam transmitted and received from the assembly of FIG. 13,

FIGS. 15 and 16 are top and side views, respectively, of a system for near-field imaging without a coupler integrating a single transmission / reception device according to the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 relating to the state of the art have already been described in detail in the preamble. They are not commented on below.

In all the illustrated examples, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

All centimeter, millimeter or submillimeter (THz) wave generation and detection systems according to the invention comprise a single device 1, 3 constituting both a source of emission of these waves and the detector of the waves emitted by source.

In the single device, the variations of current or voltage of the supply circuit for example are detected with a reading circuit at frequency F1.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, the single device 1, 3 according to the invention makes it possible to emit THz waves which, on the surface of an object 2 placed at a certain distance, are reemitted, either by being reflected directly or by by being absorbed and reflected, the waves thus re-emitted being detected by the same electronic device. Any metallic or dielectric material of object 2 can reflect with or without absorption THz waves.

In other words, the source itself is also used as a detector of the generated wave having been reflected. The electronic device 1, 3 according to the invention can then not only detect the amplitude of the wave (power) but also its phase.

The read circuit is used to detect current (FIGS. 3 and 5) or voltage (FIGS. 4 and 6) variations.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the single electronic device 1, 3 comprises an adjustable frequency AC power source 4 connected to an antenna 6. A polarization T 5 is connected between the antenna 6 and a current amplifier. low impedance 8 itself connected to a voltage source 7. The output 80 of the amplifier 8 defines the detection output of the device.

Instead of the low impedance current amplifier 8 and the voltage source 7, a high impedance current amplifier 8 'and a current source 7' can be provided (FIG. 4). A DC rectifier block 12 may be provided at the amplifier input 8 '(FIG. 4).

Instead of the polarization T 5 and the simple antenna 6, a differential antenna 9 with grounding 13 can be provided (FIGS. 5 and 6).

The source may be a harmonic oscillator 14 equipped with an antenna 6 (FIG. 7). This antenna 6 can be integrated or a discrete component, of the Patch type, or having radiation properties through the substrate, or using a lens.

The harmonic oscillator may consist of differential oscillators 14.1, 14.2 of the "N-push" type equipped with a differential antenna 9 (FIG. 8). As illustrated in FIG. 8, the two oscillators 14.1, 14.2 make it possible to obtain a phase shift of 180 °.

At the interface between generator and detector, there is a transmission and reflection function. The waves emitted by the source 1 and then reflected are then retransmitted into the transistor. The transistor is either a fundamental mode generator or a ^Nth harmonic detector reflected at the interface between the common node and the antenna 6 or 9 for example. Since the antenna is a reciprocal device, ie which transmits and receives the waves in the same way, it is then possible to detect amplitude and phase variations of the reflected waves, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Other variants and improvements may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

An improvement can be made at the reading circuit level. Thus, current sources 4.1, 4.2 with current mirrors 15 can be integrated, a reference pixel ("blind pixel" in English) can be used to reduce offsets, and more effectively amplify the voltage of the detector (FIG. ).

One can also consider a digital system of CDS (acronym "correlated double sampling") can also be implemented for the reading circuit.

One of the variants of the invention may consist of the use of fundamental oscillators, or of frequency multiplication chains with a buffer circuit. The buffer circuit 16, 16.1, 16.2 can be used as a detection circuit (FIGS. 11 and 12).

FIG. 13 illustrates an advantageous variant according to which the device according to the invention comprises a set of antennas 6 'with an electromagnetic beam orientable by a suitable electrical control circuit 17. It is possible to provide a single antenna 6' with an orientation beam variable.

This variant is advantageous because it is possible to create images in real time by combining the desired orientation of the beam transmitted / received by the antenna with a generation and detection from the same device.

In addition, one can modulate the frequency of one or more antennas 6 'steerable beam.

FIG. 14 schematically shows the reconstruction of an image that can be obtained in the reading circuit 18 from a beam with a variable orientation emitted / picked up by the set of antennas 6 '.

Quality images thus created can be obtained with a very large number of pixels. In other words, with such a device, it is possible to obtain important image sizes with a small transmitter / receiver size.

Numerous applications may be envisaged for the invention, among which interferometry, velocity and vibration measurement, the extraction of the complex dielectric properties of materials, and the Radar Frequency Modulated Continues Wave. in English, abbreviated FMCW), radar Synthetic Aperture Radar (English Abstract) and Inverse Synthetic Averature Radars (ISAR), Near Field Imaging Imaging ", quality control, security control.

A particularly interesting application is imaging, in particular dental imaging, in particular for children's teeth, where the compactness of the system according to the invention allows it to be introduced into the mouth of a child and to ensure both emission and Thz wave detection.

Figures 15 and 16 illustrate a single device according to the invention 1, 3 used advantageously in near field imaging.

The imaging system 19 which integrates a single device 1, 3 without antenna allows a coherent detection in near field and without the use of a coupler and a detector as in the systems according to the state of the art in which a detector is a coupler are necessary for the operation of the near-field system. The invention described in the present application makes it possible to dispense with these components greatly simplifying near-field imaging.

Or to get rid of a coupler is a significant advantage. Indeed, intrinsically a coupler is a device that can only operate on a small frequency bandwidth.

Thus, thanks to the device according to the invention, it is possible to obtain a coherent detection in the near field over a large bandwidth.

The unique device 1, 3 of the imaging system uses the reciprocity of the transmission lines 20 to and from the sensitive area 21 of the evanescent wave fields 22.

The device 1, 3 used in a near-field system can be integrated in both pixels and multi-pixels to create an imager-type device.

REFERENCES CITED

[1]: J. Gao, J. Hovenier, Z. Yang, J. Baselmans, A. Baryshev, M. Hajenius, T. Klapwijk, A. Adam, T. Klaassen, B. Williams et al., "Terahertz heterodyne receiver based on a quantum laser cascade and superconducting bolometer, "Applied Physics Letters, vol. 86, no. 24, p. 244104, 2005.

[2]: P. Dean, Y. Leng Lim, A. Valavanis, R. Kliese, M. Nikoli'c, SP Khanna, M. Lachab, D. Indjin, Z. Ikoni'c, P. Harrison et al. , "Terahertz imaging through self-mixing in a quantum laser cascade," Optics letters, vol. 36, no. 13, pp. 2587-2589, 2011.

[3]: G. Gallerano, S. Biedron et al, "Overview of terahertz radiation sources," in Proceedings of the 2004 FEL Conference, 2004, pp. 216-221.

[4]: Y. Zhao, J. Grzyb, and U. Pfeiffer, "A 288-ghz lens-integrated balanced triple-push source in a 65-nm cmos technology," in ESSCIRC, 2012 Proceedings of the, Sept 2012, pp. 289-292.

[5]: U. Pfeiffer, Y. Zhao, J. Grzyb, R. Al Hadi, N. Sarmah, W. Forster, H. Rucker, and B. Heinemann, "A 0.53 thz reconfigurable source module with up to 1 mw radiated power for diffuse illumination in terahertz imaging applications, ^' ' Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of Vol. 49, no. 12, pp. 2938-2950, Dec 2014.

[6]: Y. Tousi and E. Afshari, "14.6 a scalable thz 2d phased array with 17dbm of eirp at 338ghz in 65nm bulk cmos," in Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers (ISSCC), 2014 IEEE International, Feb 2014, pp. 258-259.

[7]: E. Ojefors, J. Grzyb, Y. Zhao, B. Heinemann, B. Tillack, and U. Pfeiffer, "A 820ghz Sectors Chipset for Terahertz Active Imaging Imaging," in Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers (ISSCC), 2011 IEEE International, Feb 2011, pp. 224-226.

Claims

A method for generating and detecting centimetric, sub-millimetric or millimetric electromagnetic waves, preferably terahertz, in which a single electronic device (1, 3) is used as a generation source and as a wave detector issued from the source.

2. A system for generating and detecting centimetric, sub-millimetric or millimeter electromagnetic waves, preferably Terahertz, comprising an electronic device (1, 3) constituting both a source of generation and the detector of waves emitted from the source .

3. System according to claim 2, comprising at least one adjustable frequency AC power source (4) equipped with an antenna (6).

4. System according to claim 3, comprising two adjustable-frequency AC power sources (4.1, 4.2) with current mirrors (15).

5. System according to claim 3, comprising a polarization T (5) connected between the antenna (6) and a low impedance current amplifier (8) itself connected to a voltage source (7), the output (80) of the amplifier (8) defining the detection output of the device.

6. System according to claim 3, comprising a polarization T (5) connected between the antenna (6) and a high impedance current amplifier (8 ') itself connected to a current source (7'), the output (80) of the amplifier (8 ') defining the detection output of the device.

7. System according to claim 3, comprising a grounded differential antenna (9) connected to a low impedance current amplifier (8) itself connected to a voltage source (7), the output ( 80) of the amplifier (8) defining the detection output of the device.

8. System according to claim 3, comprising a grounded differential antenna (9) connected to a high impedance current amplifier (8 ') itself connected to a current source (7'), the output (80) of the amplifier (8 ') defining the detection output of the device.

9. System according to claim 2, comprising at least one frequency source

(14) equipped with an antenna (6).

10. System according to claim 9, comprising two frequency sources (14.1, 14.2) type "N-push" equipped with a differential antenna (9).

11. System according to one of claims 2 to 10, comprising one or more frequency multiplication chains with a buffer circuit (16).

12. System according to one of claims 2 to 11, comprising one or more antennas (6 ') orientable beam by an electrical control circuit (17).

13. Use of the method according to claim 1 or a system according to one of claims 2 to 12 for imaging, including near-field imaging.