81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser
Large heterodyne receiver arrays (~100 pixel) allow astronomical instrumentations to map more area within limited space mission lifetime. One challenge is to generate multiple local oscillator (LO) beams. Here, we succeeded in generating 81 beams at 3.86 THz by combining a reflective, metallic Fouri...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Optical Society
2021
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/129448 |
| _version_ | 1826205519136686080 |
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| author | Khalatpour, Ali Hu, Qing |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Khalatpour, Ali Hu, Qing |
| author_sort | Khalatpour, Ali |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Large heterodyne receiver arrays (~100 pixel) allow astronomical instrumentations to map more area within limited space mission lifetime. One challenge is to generate multiple local oscillator (LO) beams. Here, we succeeded in generating 81 beams at 3.86 THz by combining a reflective, metallic Fourier grating with an unidirectional antenna coupled 3rd-order distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL). We have measured the diffracted 81 beams by scanning a single pyroelectric detector at a plane, which is in the far field for the diffraction beams. The measured output beam pattern agrees well with a simulated result from COMSOL Multiphysics, with respect to the angular distribution and power distribution among the 81 beams. We also derived the diffraction efficiency to be 94 ± 3%, which is very close to what was simulated for a manufactured Fourier grating (97%). For an array of equal superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers, 64 out of 81 beams can pump the HEB mixers with similar power, resulting in receiver sensitivities within 10%. Such a combination of a Fourier grating and a QCL can create an LO with 100 beams or more, enabling a new generation of large heterodyne arrays for astronomical instrumentation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:14:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/129448 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:14:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | The Optical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1294482022-10-01T13:56:11Z 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser Khalatpour, Ali Hu, Qing Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Large heterodyne receiver arrays (~100 pixel) allow astronomical instrumentations to map more area within limited space mission lifetime. One challenge is to generate multiple local oscillator (LO) beams. Here, we succeeded in generating 81 beams at 3.86 THz by combining a reflective, metallic Fourier grating with an unidirectional antenna coupled 3rd-order distributed feedback (DFB) quantum cascade laser (QCL). We have measured the diffracted 81 beams by scanning a single pyroelectric detector at a plane, which is in the far field for the diffraction beams. The measured output beam pattern agrees well with a simulated result from COMSOL Multiphysics, with respect to the angular distribution and power distribution among the 81 beams. We also derived the diffraction efficiency to be 94 ± 3%, which is very close to what was simulated for a manufactured Fourier grating (97%). For an array of equal superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers, 64 out of 81 beams can pump the HEB mixers with similar power, resulting in receiver sensitivities within 10%. Such a combination of a Fourier grating and a QCL can create an LO with 100 beams or more, enabling a new generation of large heterodyne arrays for astronomical instrumentation. Chinese Scholarship Council (Studentship 201706030153) 2021-01-19T19:34:32Z 2021-01-19T19:34:32Z 2019-11 2019-08 2020-12-18T13:20:32Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/129448 Gang, Yunger et al. “81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser.” Optics Express, 27, 23 (November 2019): 374460 © 2019 The Author(s) en 10.1364/OE.27.034192 Optics Express Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf The Optical Society OSA Publishing |
| spellingShingle | Khalatpour, Ali Hu, Qing 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title | 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title_full | 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title_fullStr | 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title_full_unstemmed | 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title_short | 81 supra-THz beams generated by a Fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| title_sort | 81 supra thz beams generated by a fourier grating and a quantum cascade laser |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/129448 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT khalatpourali 81suprathzbeamsgeneratedbyafouriergratingandaquantumcascadelaser AT huqing 81suprathzbeamsgeneratedbyafouriergratingandaquantumcascadelaser |