Dielectric rod nanoantenna fed by a planar plasmonic waveguide

This paper presents a tapered dielectric rod antenna excited by a folded dipole coplanar waveguide operating at terahertz frequencies. The effective refractive index of the plasmonic transmission line is obtained by two numerical methods, the Finite Element Method and the Finite-Difference Time-Domain, and it is used to obtain the dimensions of the gap connected to the line. We examine the antenna using two lengths of the rod. For 10 and 5 mu m tapered rods, impedance bandwidths of 43.47% and 32.55%, maximum gains of 12.58 and 9.84 dB, and radiation efficiencies of more than 72.09%, and 72.15% are achieved, respectively. The dielectric rod nanoantenna operates at all the optical communication band frequencies: original (O), extended (E), short (S), conventional (C), long (L), and ultra-long (U). The structure of the antenna consists of three layers. The substrate is made of silicon oxide. This paper discusses the effect of using a layer of silicon oxide to prevent direct contact between the silicon rod and the hollow T-shaped silver feedline.

Automated summary

This paper presents a tapered dielectric rod antenna excited by a folded dipole coplanar waveguide at terahertz frequencies. Two numerical methods are used to obtain the effective refractive index of the plasmonic transmission line and determine the dimensions of the connected gap. The antenna performance is examined for two lengths of the rod, achieving impedance bandwidths, maximum gains, and radiation efficiencies. The dielectric rod nanoantenna operates at all optical communication band frequencies and its structure includes three layers, with a silicon oxide substrate discussed for preventing direct contact.