TERAHERTZ ANALOG-TO-DIGITAL CONVERTER EMPLOYING ACTIVE-CONTROLLED SPOOFED SURFACE PLASMON POLARITON ARCHITECTURE

摘要

A high-speed terahertz analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is provided. The ADC is comprised of an interferometer, a modulator and an array of detectors. The interferometer is configured to receive a carrier signal and guide a spoofed surface plasmon polariton (SSPP) wave in each of its two arms. The SSPP waves are emitted from the free end of each arm into a propagation space and combined in the space to form an interference wave. The modulator modulates the carrier signal in at least one of two arms with a modulating signal, where the radiation pattern of the interference wave in a far field of the propagation space is shifted in accordance with the amplitude of the modulating signal. The array of detectors are spatially separated from the interferometer by the propagation space and arranged to receive the interference wave.

主权项

1. An analog-to-digital converter, comprising:
an interferometer having an input and two arms comprised of a semiconductor material, wherein the input is configured to receive a carrier signal and each arm is configured to guide a spoofed surface plasmon polariton wave from one end of the arm to the free end of the arm, such that the spoofed surface plasmon polariton waves propagates at a speed slower than the carrier signal and are emitted from the free end of each arm into a propagation space and combine in the propagation space to form an interference wave; a modulator interfaced with the interferometer and operable to modulate the carrier signal in at least one of the two arms with a modulating signal, where the modulating signal has an amplitude in a predefined range of values and the radiation pattern of the interference wave in a far field of the propagation space is shifted in accordance with the amplitude of the modulating signal; and an array of detectors spatially separated from the interferometer by the propagation space and arranged to receive the interference wave.