Tapered transmission lines for terahertz systems

Complex terahertz (THz) System-on-Chip (TSoC) circuits require ultra-wideband low-loss low-dispersion interconnections between building-block components of various dimensions and characteristics. Tapered transmission lines, which enable the gradual transformation of both physical dimensions and characteristic impedance, are a convenient basis for these interconnections. In this paper, we quantify both experimentally and through simulation, the efficacy of transmission-line tapers connecting two different coplanar-strip transmission-line configurations, for frequencies up to 2.0 THz and with 25 GHz spectral resolution. We demonstrate tapers that enable transitioning from a small device-constrained transmission-line dimension (10 mu m line width) to a lower-loss (20-40 mu m line width) dimension, as a method to reduce the overall attenuation, and outline design constraints for tapered sections that have minimal detrimental impact on THz pulse propagation. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

This paper quantifies the efficacy of transmission-line tapers connecting different coplanar-strip transmission-line configurations, providing important references for the design of terahertz systems.