THz Focal plane arrays for high sensitivity direct detection of 

excised tissue characteristics
ElectroScience Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State 
ElectroScience Lab, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The Ohio State
University, Columbus, OH, 43212 USA
Application of terahertz imaging
Antenna The Terahertz band
Breast cancer detection: 1 out of 8 women will have breast cancer in 
their life (American Cancer Society) •Safety ‐ THz radiation has low phonon energies (4 meV
Double slot antenna Modified double slot antenna @ 1 THz) and, therefore, is non‐ionizing toward biological 
• Simple topology •The modified antenna exhibits a tilted receiving  tissue.
Imaging system overview
• Single lobe directive pattern                   
Single lobe directive pattern beam and is used as off axis receiving elements
beam and is used as off‐axis receiving elements  g p
•Fingerprint ‐ Many molecules have their rotational and 
y
Æ good coupling to optics near the edge of the array vibrational modes in the THz frequency range.
• Diode monolithically integrated on antenna •Off‐ axis elements gain is enhanced  •Transparency ‐ Many optically opaque materials are 
• 97% of radiation coupled into dielectric half‐ •More elements can be used under a lens of  fairly transparent in the THz range, allowing for the 
space given diameter inspection of the internal structure.
Hans J. Liebe, Millimeter Wave Propagation Model, MPM93
Far field receiving pattern
100GHz double slot layout (inside the lens)
Needs  Drawbacks of existing technology Off center  0

Normalized Power (dB)

Far field receiving pattern feeding for 
•Cost effective imaging method  555μm (inside the lens) beam tilting -10
Sb‐Heterostructure Backward Diode (HBD)
•High resolution (down to millimeters) • Image acquisition is achieved with raster  980 0 -20
E-plane
H-plane

Power (dB)
•Broadband detection covering possible  scanning which is a time consuming method μm -90 -45 0 45 90

• High
High responsivity , a.k.a. DC voltage per incident RF power 
responsivity a k a DC voltage per incident RF power
Angle (degrees)

k
tumor markers • Direct detection: relatively low responsivity
Direct detection: relatively low responsivity DC
DC pad
pad -10

Normalized P
• Joint use with other screening methods -20
E-plane
H-plane (due to high curvature = 42.4 V‐1)
Monolithically 
integrated diode
PEC -90 -45 0
Angle (degrees)
45 90
• High cutoff frequency (620GHz) due to low junction capacitance (13 fF/μm2)
Far field receiving patterns
Basic steps (outside the lens)
• Low noise due to lower junction resistance

radiation  1. Radiation absorbed by focal plane array  500GHz double slot layout Improved gain with 

modified antennas 
source through silicon lens 0 Microscope image of HBD Responsivity calculations for double slot antenna 
2. Embedded diodes rectify incoming THZ  111μm

Relative Gain (dB)

-5
3 detector
radiation to DC voltage 212 DC  -10 100GHz 500GHz
3. A/D converter digitizes diode’s DC voltage  μm pad 200 20
tissue -15

V/Watt)
V/Watt)
Max Max
image plane PEC
4 Digital image constructed on computer
4. Digital image constructed on computer  -20
20 150 responsivity: 15
responsivity:

Responsivity (kV

Responsivity (kV
-60
60 -40
40 -20
20 0 20 40 60 160 000 V/W
160,000 17 000 V/W
17,000
Angle (Degrees)
screen 100 10

50 5

objective lens 0 0

•Mechanically rigid                       Rectification process
80 90 100 110
Frequency (GHz)
120 400 450 500
Frequency (GHz)
550 600

and thermally stable
silicon
lens • Low cost Responsivity calculation for slot spiral antenna detector
output 
• Increased antenna  voltage (500 – 900GHz)
directivity (suppresses  A/D converter 3.5

y (kV/Watt)
substrate modes) 2 →   Due to broadband 
3
Ideal match
Spiral antenna match

1 matching, detector 
2.5

Responsivity
2

extension length for d d

diode performance is close to diode’s 
1.5
maximum responsivity
optimum beam focusing 1

0.5
incident radiation 500 600 700 800 900

PEC Frequency (GHz)

Focal Plane Array (FPA) DC pad
4
Far field receiving patterns for linear arrays More Terahertz Imaging Applications
(three dimensional) 
Digital image reconstruction
Slot spiral antenna Far field receiving patterns for linear array
• Security screening applications
φ‐axis
(about 1600 pixels for 2D array) •With the help of
• Broadband performance (500GHz – 900GHz) electronics, diode’s output
0
→ identify possible tumor markers 900GHz voltage is digitized.
Relative Gain (dB)

•Each pixel in the digital

• Single lobe directive pattern at all frequencies                  
-5
image represents the
• Diode monolithically integrated with the antenna output voltage value of
-10
100GHz linear array (9 elements)  the corresponding FPA
Broadband matching -15
element.
-5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30
φ‐axis (500‐900GHz) Angle (Degrees)
DC pad
100
mpedance (Ω)

50
Z antenna References
0 Single receiving 
Im

-50
500 600 700 800 900
b
beam  1. G.C. Trichopoulos, G. Mumcu, K. Sertel, J. L. Volakis, “A Novel Approach for Improving Off‐axis Pixel 
Performance of THz Focal Plane Arrays”. Submitted to IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory and Tech..
100
Frequency (GHz)
(500‐900GHz) 2. D.F. Filipovic, S.S. Gearhart and G.M. Rebeiz, "Double‐slot antennas on extended hemispherical  •Astronomical observations
Impedance (Ω)

and elliptical silicon dielectric lenses," Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on , 
500GHz linear array (25 elements) 
50
vol.41, no.10, pp.1738‐1749, Oct 1993. •Instrumentation for the industry of 
0 real Z diode
Fabricated 10x1 element array prototype  -50
imaginary
3. N. Su, R. Rajavel, P. Deelman, J. N. Schulman and P. Fay, “Sb‐Heterostructure millimeter‐wave 
detectors with reduced capacitance and noise equivalent power”, IEEE Electron device Letters, vol.  pharmaceutical drugs and semiconductors
operating at 500GHz 29, no. 6, pp. 536‐539, June 2008.
Monolithically 
integrated  diode
-100
500 600 700
Frequency (GHz)
800 900
4. U. A. Khan, N. Al‐Moayed, N. Nguyen, K. A. Korolev, M. N. Afsar and S. P. Naber, “Broadband  •Nondestructive testing systems 
dielectric characterization of tumorous and nontumorous breast tissues”, IEEE Trans. Microwave 
Theory and Tech., vol. 55, no 12, pp. 2887‐2893, December 2007.
 Engineered Composites Realizing Degenerate
Band Edge and Magnetic Photonic Crystals
S. Yarga, K Sertel, and J.L. Volakis
Realization of DBE Crystals Optimization of Metallic Inclusions Uniaxial Anisotropy via Layered Dielectrics
Low-cost Artificial Anisotropic Dielectrics (printed FSS) DBE design with artificial
Misaligned Uniaxial Layers 1) Stacked dielectrics Material Characterization
Constraints on low loss Printed Circuit Board uniaxial dielectrics
: ε1 ⎡ (ε 1 + ε 2 ) ⎤
: ε2 ⎢
⎢ 2
0 0 ⎥
⎥
(PCB) technology : Minimum feature width: 0.007 in.
φ2 φ1
≈
2ε 1 ε 2
= ⎢⎢ 0 0 ⎥⎥
Minimum space between features: 0.007 in.
⎡ε A + δcos2ϕ1, 2 δsin2ϕ1, 2 0 ⎤ ε eq
(ε 1 + ε 2 ) Embedded Antenna
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ A1 A2 B
ε A = ⎢ δsin2ϕ1, 2 ε A − δcos2ϕ1, 2 0 ⎥ ⎢ (ε 1 + ε 2 ) ⎥
⎢⎣ 0 0 ⎥⎦ a 2a B=5a
⎢ 0 ε zz ⎥⎦
2 U n it : m m

⎣ 0 d<<λ
: Laminate,
Off-the-shelf possibilities ⎡16.05 0 0 ⎤ R4350 0.5” 7 .5
DBE e.g. Ceramics, ε=30 ε eq = ⎢⎢ 0 3.9252 0 ⎥⎥
4 0 .5
25 25

Unit Cell Teflon, ε=2.1 ⎢⎣ 0 0 16.05 ⎥⎦ : Free Space 0 .5 7 .5 (a ) 4 (b )

1” Alumina (A2O3) ⎡1 7 .8
ε a = ⎢⎢ 0
0
45
0 ⎤
0 ⎥⎥
⎡45
εb = ⎢ 0
0
1 7 .8
0 ⎤
0 ⎥
a=0.02in Titania (TiO2)
⎢⎣ 0 0 1 7 .8 ⎥⎦
⎢
⎢⎣ 0 0
⎥
1 7 .8 ⎥⎦
2) Metallic Inclusions
1”
w
++ dy=
Sapphire (Al2O3) Rutile (TiO2) + + + + + + + ++
++ + ++
⎡ 85 0 0⎤ + + + ++ ++ + ++ + 0.007in
⎡9.4 0 0 ⎤ + ++ • If dy>>dx
ε B = ⎢⎢0 11.55 0 ⎥⎥ ε B = ⎢⎢ 0 165 0 ⎥⎥ L=
-- ++
E -- -- -- -- Ba-Titanate
⎣⎢0 0 9.4⎦⎥ - - ++ - -+ + - - 0.09in
⎢⎣ 0 0 85 ⎥⎦ - - + +- - -+ + - - + +- -- -++ dx −4
++ - - - ++ ε ~ 80 tan δ = 3.7 × 10 at 2.13GHz
Low-anisotropy + + + ++ ++ - -+ ++ + ⎡ε A 0 0⎤
tanδ = 8x10−5 − 10−4 + ++
++
L ε eq = ⎢⎢ 0 0⎥⎥
-- -- Layered – 5.85GHz
1
Pure are low-loss --
-- -- --
-- -- ⎡ 45 0 0 ⎤ Alumina (A2O3)-
-- ⎢⎣ 0 1 ⎥⎦
ε = ⎢⎢ 0 0 ⎥⎥
-- -- -- 0 Alumina--Al 2 O 3
samples are costly Artificial DBE
-- -- --
--
ax=0.09in w=0.007in ax=0.09in 17.8 Titanate (TiO2) Stacks
dy ⎣⎢ 0 0 17.8 ⎦⎥ for Artificial Anisotropy
Unit Cell ε ~ 10 tan δ = 2.82 × 10 −4 at 3.37GHz
Larger anisotropy than stacked dielectrics
Periodic tan δ = 1.88 × 10 −3 at 7.5GHz (organic glue)
Uniaxial – 5.83GHz
FEM
Mesh 1 Mesh 2 Mesh 3 Designed DBE Assembly (0.65λ0x0.65λ0x0.54λ0 )
Degenerate Band Edge Crystals with Artificial
Anisotropic Layers Using Printed FSS Laminates for Maximum Directivity
z
Metallic strips with 1mm 0.67mm L=2.67 mm y
an offset angle, φ
x
Isotropic host
e.g. free space 12 Double BE B=0.08in
B=0.1in Finite
dy2 0.4 0.6 0.4
B=0.14in A1 0.54λ 0
W=0.1
11 Design A2 1.6 cm
DBE B
10
x z a3=1
Frequency(GHz)

Δa3=0.01
y
9 A1 A2 B 6 Layers
1.9108 cm
a2
a1=1
RBE
8
Δa1=0.01
0.65λ 0 = 1.9108 cm
¾Tuning free space thickness degenerate band edge behavior
k-ω diagram for dy2=1.5 k-ω diagram for dy2=1.2 k-ω diagram for dy2=0.6
7 15
Band Diagram A2
0.25
⎡ 38.1944 11.7876 0 ⎤
ε A1 = ⎢⎢11.7876 24.5833 0 ⎥⎥
6 Degenera
0.25 0.25
0.2

⎢⎣ 0 45⎥⎦
Frequency
DBE behavior obtained for te Band 0
0.2 0.2
0.15
A1
(GHz)
Edge
5
wa/c

wa/c

wa/c

0.15 0.15

0.1
0.1 0.1 F=0.1 in. at 10 GHz 10
Regular (DBE)
0.05
0.05 0.05 Band Edge ⎡19.6013 6.8056 0 ⎤
ε A2 = ⎢⎢6.8056 43.1765 0 ⎥⎥
3π/4 π 5π/4
0 0 0
(RBE)
0 pi/2 pi 3pi/2 2pi 0 pi/2 pi 3pi/2 2pi 0 pi/2 pi 3pi/2 2pi

⎢⎣ 0 45⎥⎦
ky ky ky

Regular Band Edge Degenerate Band Edge Double Band Edge Crystal 0
k (Bloch Wave Number) 5
0 π/4 π/2 3π/4 π 5π/4 3π/2 7π/4 2π Φ2=15o
y Aperture
K (Bloch y Cut
Wavenumber) Φ1=60o εB = 1

z
x Top View
 Printed Antennas Emulating Degenerate Band
Edge Dispersion (G. Mumcu, K. Sertel, and J.L.Volakis)
Partially Coupled TRL Emulating DBE Prototype DBE Antenna Design
DBE Structure – 1D volumetric crystals 4.5 dB Gain at 1.48 GHz
DBE Modes can be achieved by tuning CoorsTek AD-995 substrate:
Frequency (GHz)
3.00 RBE
2.90 strip lengths/widths Alumina ε = 9.7 2inch x 2inch x 50mil
2.80 λ 0 / 9.4
2.70 DBE
Æ Printed Lines (Std. Fabrication Technology) λ0 / 9
0.85 inch
2.60 (2.16 cm)
2.50 • Small antennas employing DBE resonance 0.88 inch
0.7π 0.8π 0.9π π λ 0 / 16
K for impedance matching (2.24 cm)
0.5 inch
• Miniature Printed Arrays Coax feed
(1.27 cm)
10
Emulating Anisotropy with Coupled Lines • Small Couplers, Delay lines and Phase stacked
Shifters layers
2 inch
⎡ 45 0 0⎤ ⎡ 38.1944 11.7876 0 ⎤
εeq (0) = ⎢⎢ 0 0 ⎥⎥ ε eq (ϕ) = ⎢11.7876 24.5833 0 ⎥⎥
2 inch
17.78
⎢
⎣⎢ 0 0 45 ⎦⎥ ⎣⎢ 0 0 45 ⎥⎦ Possible Applications:
Top surface Bottom surface (ground plane)
Uncoupled Uncoupled

Measured 3~3.5% Bandwidth

2.33 cm

Coupled

DBE resonance
Antenna Element ~2.85GHz, 4.5dB Directivity

ε Observed Field along the DBE Microstrip Coupled Lines Indicating Field Amplification

Uncoupled lines with different λ0/9 x λ0/9 x λ0/16

Coupled lines (even mode odd lengths emulate anisotropic ε at 1.48 GHz
mode impedances) emulate tensor (phase shift difference
rotation of anisotropic ε tensor between two lines) Radiation Efficiency > 95%

Triply Coupled TRLs Emulate Symmetric SIP Emulation of SIP on Ferrite TRLs
I1 I4
Possible Realizations of Symmetric SIP:
V1 L11 L 21 V4
Realizing MPC modes New filter and isolator development
C11 C21
CM1 Coupling via Lumped Capacitors Coupled lines on Multilayer
Substrates 1 2 N
I2 CM3 I5
CM1 Magnetic field bias Ferrite substrate
V2 L12
C12
L22
C22
V5 … … …
CM2 Z01 Z03
I3 I6
… … …
Z02 Z04
V3 L13 L 23 V6
C13 C23
CM2
CM3
3 Uncoupled lines 3 Uncoupled lines 3 Coupling Capacitors
L11 = L12 = L13 = L21 = L22 = L23 = 1nH, C11 = 10pF, C12 = 5pF, C13 = 1pF, C21 =
Microstrip
Coupled lines C22 = C23 = 1pF, CM1 = 2pF, CM2 = 2pF, CM3 = 2.6pF Transmission Lines

Effect of Tree-way Coupling (CM3 nonzero) on K-ω Diagram: Bloch Mode Analysis
• Lower order K-ω branch can display a 6th order behavior.
• Symmetric stationary inflection points (similar to SIP in MPCs) One way
9
3
ξ 10 ξ 10
9
transparency due
2.7
Higher order •Symmetric Stationary to spectral
Higher order
2.5
K-ω
K-ω Curve
curve nonreciprocity:
Inflection Points in the
Frequency (GHz)

Frequency (GHz)

2.6
Propagation Spectrum Unidirectional
2
Propagation
2.5
1.5
•Achieved without resorting to
1 2.4 lossy ferromagnetic layers!
0 π/4 π/2 3π/4 π 5π/4 3π/2 7π/4 2π π/2 3π/4 π 5π/4 3π/2
K – Bloch Wavenumber K – Bloch Wavenumber
 Volumetric CEM Tools for Inhomogeneous and
Periodic Media (B. Usner, K Sertel, and J.L. Volakis)
Why a Hybrid VSIE? Doubly Periodic Structures
Frequency Selective Volumes (FSVs)
Full-wave analysis of metamaterial structures and devices
Main Advantage:
require numerical codes that can model… • Only need to evaluate the periodic Green’s
SIE VIE FE-BI function for currents radiating into free-space

• Composite PEC and material structures

• Both dielectric and magnetic materials
• Material inhomogeneities
• High contrast (large ε and μ) materials
• Material anisotropies
• Periodic replications of unit cells
Simply Replace Free-Space Green’s
Function with Periodic Green’s Function

Developed a Hybrid Volume-Surface Integral Equation

formulation that satisfies these demands!!! Need a Modified Junction
Resolution Algorithm

• evaluation accelerated by Ewald’s transformation

VSIE Validations: Coated Ogive
Length = 2λ
Embedded Material FSV
Base Radius = 0.24λ
Coating Thickness = 0.07λ
Unit Cell
Low Contrast Material High Contrast Material

• Background medium
chosen to be lossy

VSIE Simulation

X
εΔ = 2.5
ε=4
 Highly Efficient Parallel Fast Multipole Method
Solver (C. Waltz, M. Carr, K. Sertel, and J.L.Volakis)
Parallel Performance of ML-FMA ML-FMA vs. FMM-FFT Comparison
† This implementation provides poor scaling due to
overwhelming communication costs
† Speedup limited to 2x

16

14 Ideal
FMM-FFT MVP Time speedup
12 Actual

10
1/time

1 2 4 6 8 12 16
Processors Time requirements comparison of ML-FMA and
FMM-FFT. FMM-FFT curves show 1, 4, 16, and
64 processors. “Best Parallel ML-FMA” curve ML-FMA MVP Time speedup
Speedup curve for PEC ogive Timeline of communication events
shows an 8x speedup.
with 35,000 unknowns.

FMM-FFT Complexity Parallel FMM-FFT

† Empirical studies show that FMM-FFT actually
† FMM-FFT retains the scalability of the
scales approximately with O(N6/5), both
theoretically and practically conventional FMM

Memory scaling of FMM-FFT

Theoretical FMM-FFT memory in solving a 140,000
requirements Experimental FMM-FFT time and unknown problem
Speedup plots of time requirements of FMM-
memory requirements FFT in solving a 140,000 unknown problem
 Broadband Noninvasive Characterization of
Composite Metamaterials (J.Y. Chung, K. Sertel, and J.L.Volakis)
“A broadband material characterization system Spot Focused Horn Pair vs. Proposed System
for complex materials in less-than ideal environments”
Gaussian Beam Parameters
Extensive research in artificially manufactured composite materials
(spot size, depth of focus,
with extraordinary electromagnetic behavior divergence angle) are
functions of frequency

Horn antennas and lenses

need redesign for wideband
Spot Focused Horn Pair characterization
Frequency Selective Surfaces and Volumes, Metamaterials, EBG-Photonic Band Gap,
positioner Sample
Magnetic Photonic Crystals waist

Degenerate Band A1 A2 B Probe Alternative:

Agilent E8362B, 10MHz-20GHz a 2a B=5a z Characterize the channel
Edge (DBE) PNA Series Network Analyzer
Crystal Sample
: Laminate, by 2 synthetic apertures
Crystals: 4.3”X4.3”x2.3”
R4350
: Free Space
25
a=0.02in Use scanning probes to
20 Φ° store S21 for each position
Frequency(GHz)

15 Receiving
Tx Rx Horn
dy=
0.007in NWA and post process to form
10
2.9”x2.128” l= the correct Gaussian
5 0.09in Z-slide
Transmitting
Horn
d1=0.5″
y
d2=10″
controller Beam
0 z
0 π/4 π/2 3π/4 π 5π/4 3π/2 7π/4 2π 1.85”x1.28” DBE Crystal
k(Bloch Wave Number) x 2.3″
ax=0.09in w=0.007in ax=0.09in PC Hardware for motion
control and data collection

Measurement Setup in OSU-ESL Anechoic Chamber Measured S21 Vs. Calculated S21
1) dielectric slab of er = 9 Æ Extracted er = 8.79 ~9.09, max error of 2.3 % !
linear slide 1 120
Rx-probe reflector Rx-probe
Calculated S 100
Δy SUT SUT Δφ 0 21
Measured S 80
-1 21
Δx

Magnitude (dB)

Phase (degree)
60
-2
Δθ 40
2.08 m
1.22 m

Tx-probe feed -3
Calculated S21
20
-4 Measured S21
0
-5
za = 10λ 3.66 m 3.66 m
-20
-6 -40
ee x 10
8 9 10 11 12 8 9 10 11 12
Planar Scan Spherical Scan Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)
90 2
120 60 2
1.5
1.8

w/o sample
150 1

0.5
30
1.6
2) 8-layer DBE Crystal Æ Fabry-Perot Peaks are clearly identified !
Tx-probe x 1.4

z 180 0
1.2
1.25
1
300 Calculated S21
y 210 330 0.8
Measured S21
0.6
1 200
240 300
Calculated S21
Magnitude (V/m)

Phase (degree)
0.4

Rx-probe
270

Δφ
-3
ss
Measured S21
x 10
90 2

sample
120
1.5
60 1.8
0.75 100
1.6
150 1 30

Δx w/ DBE
1.4
0.5
1.2 Δθ 0.5 0
180 0 1

Δy
0.8

210 330 0.6 Synthetic 0.25 -100

Synthetic 0.4
Aperture
Aperture 240
270
300
0.2
-200
0
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)