Terahertz CMOS circuit design and applications for ultra-high data rate (≫100Gbps) communication

Wedged between traditional microwave and optics, the term ¿Terahertz¿ was first named by Fleming to designate EM spectrum range from 300 GHz to 3 THz. It remains one of the least tapped spectra over time. Terahertz image and spectroscopic systems have drawn substantial attention recently due to their unique capabilities in detecting and/or analyzing concealed objects through fog and fabrics. The generation of practical Terahertz signals is nevertheless nontrivial and can only be accomplished by using Free-Electron Radiation, Optical Lasers, Gunn Diodes and sometimes oscillators made of III-V compound based HBT/HEMTs. However, these prior arts suffer major disadvantages of size, cost, complexity, efficiency and/or even cryogenic cooling to produce meaningful signals in the notorious ¿Terahertz Gap¿.