Investigation of frequency-tripling performance of Schottky diode based multennas to 0.3 THz

We report on a sub-THz source based on Schottky diodes integrated with compound planar antenna structures whose function is to radiate a frequency multiplied tone from a received fundamental, devices which we term multennas. The multennas studied are optimized to frequency multiply from 0.1 to 0.3 THz. A high-power clinotron oscillator provides the circa 0.1 THz c.w. radiation input: this is focused onto the multenna by a quasi-optical network. A VNA-based receiver system analyses the output. Two different multenna structures are characterized in terms of signal strength and conversion efficiency. The main details of the computational optimization approach and array design are also outlined.