Characterization of Sub-THz Photonic-Transmitters Based on GaAs–AlGaAs Uni-Traveling-Carrier Photodiodes and Substrate-Removed Broadband Antennas for Impulse-Radio Communication

A novel photonic transmitter for wireless terahertz (THz) impulse-radio (IR) communication is realized by monolithic integration of a GaAs-AlGaAs-based uni-traveling-carrier (UTC) photodiode with a substrate-removed broadband antenna. The device can radiate strong sub-THz pulses (20-mW peak-power) with a narrow pulsewidth (<2 ps) and wide bandwidth (100 ~ 250 GHz). The maximum average power emitted by our device, under the same THz time-domain spectroscopic setup, is around ten times higher than that of the low-temperature-grown GaAs-based photoconductive antenna, while with a much lower dc bias (9 versus 35 V). The bias-dependent peak output powers of our devices suggest their suitability for application as a data modulator/emitter for photonic THz IR communication.