Photonic THz Beam Steering Using Fiber Chromatic Dispersion

Abstract

THz technology has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including high-speed wireless communication, medical imaging, and spectroscopy. One challenge facing THz technology, however, is the limited output power (on the order of microwatts) of photonic THz sources (e.g., uni-traveling-carrier photodiode). Researchers are therefore exploring THz beam steering techniques to maximize their power effectiveness. To this end, we propose a photonic THz beam steering method that utilizes fiber chromatic dispersion, eliminating the need for energy-consuming active electronics. This paper explains its basic operating principle, fabrication and performance analysis of the associated THz array antenna, and demonstrates the feasibility of achieving a 300 GHz beam steering within 10\(^\circ \) by means of dispersion-varied polarization-maintaining fibers. In conclusion, the present scheme can greatly enhance the power efficiency of photonic THz sources, and enable the potential advantages of seamless integration with fiber-optic networks, including reduced complexity, simplified operation, low power consumption, and cost-effectiveness.