Design and Realization Aspects of 1-THz Cascade Backward Wave Amplifier Based on Double Corrugated Waveguide

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 1236 - 1243
• Main Authors: Paoloni, C., Di Carlo, A., Bouamrane, F., Bouvet, T., Durand, A. J., Kotiranta, M., Krozer, V., Megtert, S., Mineo, M., Zhurbenko, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2013; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cascade backward wave amplifier; Circuit properties; Copper; Couplers; double corrugated waveguide; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electron tubes; Electronic tubes, masers; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrication; Microelectronic fabrication (materials and surfaces technology); Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Optical waveguides; optically driven terahertz amplifier (OPTHER); Rough surfaces; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Surface roughness; terahertz; double corrugated waveguide; Submillimeter wave tubes; Electroforming; Cascade backward wave amplifier; Travelling wave tube; Submillimeter wave amplifiers; Implementation; optically driven terahertz amplifier (OPTHER); Microelectronic fabrication; THz range; Three dimensional structure; LIGA; Manufacturing process; terahertz; Backward wave; Evacuated tube; Slow wave structure; Corrugated waveguide; Microstructure; Photolithography
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/TED.2013.2240686

The design and fabrication challenges in the first ever attempt to realize a 1-THz vacuum tube amplifier are described. Implementation of innovative solutions including a slow-wave structure in the form of a double corrugated waveguide, lateral tapered input and output couplers, deep X-ray LIGA fabrication process, and a cascade architecture of the backward wave amplifier are discussed. New knowledge in the field of terahertz vacuum devices brought by intensive simulations and development of advanced fabrication and assembly processes of the micro-structures is highlighted.