UCLA

THz frequencies, ranging from 100 GHz to 10 THz, have significant potential in future communication and sensing applications, such as gas sensing and imaging. Silicon-based THz signal generation has garnered great attention due to its compactness, low cost, and low power consumption. Recent advancements in silicon technologies have demonstrated transistors with maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) beyond 300 GHz, enabling the development of silicon-based THz integrated circuits (ICs). However, existing silicon THz wave generation remains inefficient, primarily due to degraded transistor performance and the lack of high-efficiency THz antennas. This paper addresses these challenges from two perspectives: THz circuit design and on-chip antenna design for improved efficiency. It presents a wideband THz transmitter based on a p-i-n diode tripler for high-efficiency THz signal generation and an on-chip cavity antenna with loaded microbumps for enhanced efficiency and gain. The transmitter is designed to operate at 360 GHz and is implemented using the GlobalFoundries 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The transmitter is tested and characterized using a VDI SAX, demonstrating a radiated power of -5.9 dBm with a DC power consumption of 153mW. While microbumps have shown significant improvements in simulated antenna efficiency and gain, their implementation is deferred due to current fabrication difficulties