mm-Wave and Terahertz Signal Generation, Amplification, and Beam Steering in Silicon

In recent years many new mm-wave applications and standards have been emerging. These systems are mostly a response to the ever-growing demand for higher data speed, higher image resolution, and better sensing systems. The same trajectory to THz and higher frequencies will likely to continue in future for higher performance systems. Therefore, it is vital to understand the limit and capabilities of the fabrication platforms specially when the operating frequencies are getting close to or even surpassing the maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) of the transistors. In this talk I will discuss and present three transistor limits for oscillation frequency, harmonic generation, and power amplification. These analyses show that even if we can reach the limits of the devices, single antenna element systems are not practical for many applications at these frequencies. To address this issue, we present a scalable THz phased array and radiator array that employs the unique properties of standing waves to achieve wideband tuning and wide-angle beam steering in Silicon.