Design and Fabrication of a Terahertz Antenna Using Two-Photon Polymerization

Abstract

The recent prospective field of application for terahertz (THz) technology includes imaging, sensor systems, and high-speed wireless communication. The design and fabrication, as stated, of terahertz antennas, put the design engineers in various challenges, such as material selection, signal attenuation, and fabrication with highest accuracy of the smallest features. This paper presents the design, simulation, and fabrication of a compact monopole terahertz antenna with physical dimensions of 0.25mm x 0.25mm x 0.44mm. The antenna is developed through Ansys High-Frequency Structure Simulator, and the fabrication process utilizes Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP). The designed antenna was properly simulated in order to achieve good features of the reflection coefficient (S11) and the radiation patterns. This antenna was fabricated with high microscale accuracy by 2PP technology to demonstrate the ability to build complex THz structures at any required resolution. The simulation results showed a good impedance match along a wide bandwidth operating in the THz range with low levels of S11 and good power transmission. For the inspection of the high-resolution features of the fabricated antenna, light and electron microscopes were used, which validated the integrity of the structure.