Micromachined Probes for Measurement and Characterization of Terahertz Materials and Devices

The objective of this program is to investigate, develop, and bring to market a robust and reliable probe technology that permits direct, in-situ measurement of devices and materials at frequencies up to 1 THz. Although such measurement capability currently does not exist, it is widely recognized as a critical need for the future development of terahertz devices. Recent advances in silicon micromachining technology at the University of Virginia have resulted in direct-contact on-wafer probes operating to 750 GHz and it is anticipated that this approach is scalable to terahertz frequencies and beyond. Dominion MicroProbes, Inc. is a small business founded by researchers from the University of Virginia working on terahertz technology and is focused on the development application, and commercialization of this micromachined probe technology. Consequently, the primary technical aims of this phase 1 STTR program are (1) to demonstrate the capacity of micromachined direct-contact probes to be extended to terahertz frequencies (2) to exploit the flexibility afforded by micromachining fabrication technology to design robust probe architectures that are suitable for non-standard media and devices, and (3) to generate designs and performance assessments of micromachined probes operating up to 1 THz.