Novel Terahertz Sources for Advanced Terahertz Power: Nanoklystrons and nanoTWTs

The region of the millimeter and submillimeter-wave frequency bands, from 100 GHz to 3 THz (wavelengths of 3 to 0.1 mm, respectively), are some of the least explored and yet information rich regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This region of the spectrum, referred to as the terahertz (THz) frequency regime, roughly 300-3000 GHz, is ripe for development. A major impediment to development of applications in this largely unexplored frequency range is the lack of powerful, compact and tunable sources of terahertz radiation that offer monochromatic, stable outputs. Phase stability of a terahertz source combined with output powers in the milliwatt regime or higher will enable, among others, a host of coherent sensing, measurement and power-combining applications. In Phase II of this STTR program we will implement practical, viable and realistic vacuum electronics solutions that result in high quality, high volume manufacturable, compact, affordable, and enabling high power THz products. These THz sources are based on vacuum electronics. Both high power microfabricated electron sources and high power THz sources will be developed, built and implemented in Phase II of STTR program