From high-speed beam steering to multi-beam generation
Because terahertz waves travel in highly directional beams, technology that points them accurately and quickly toward a communication partner or target is essential.
Rather than electronic phase shifters, we use the wavelength of light and the chromatic dispersion of optical fiber to control the phase of terahertz waves — a beam-control approach of our own.
Combined with a fast wavelength-tunable laser, this approach has achieved beam switching between −27° and +18° on a nanosecond timescale.
Building on this, we are developing multi-beam technology that forms several terahertz beams simultaneously from a single photomixer array by using different combinations of optical wavelengths.
Source: Y. Kamiura, R. Doi, H. Ssali, M. Che, Y. Mikami, and K. Kato, “300-GHz Beam-Steering Wireless Communication Enabled by 4-Array InGaAs UTC-PD on SiC Substrate and Optical Phased Array,” Journal of Lightwave Technology, Vol. 43, No. 13, pp. 6050–6057, 2025. DOI: 10.1109/JLT.2025.3553448