%0 Conference Proceedings
%T Branchline and directional THz coupler based on PECVD SiNx-technology
%A Finkel, M.
%A Thierschmann, H. R.
%A Galatro, L.
%A Katan, A. J.
%A Thoen, D. J.
%A de Visser, P. J.
%A Spirito, M.
%A Klapwijk, T. M.
%S 41st IRMMW-THz
%D 2016
%@ 2162-2035
%@ 978-1-4673-8485-8
%F Finkel_etal2016
%O exported from refbase (https://db.rplab.ru/refbase/show.php?record=1295), last updated on Sun, 09 May 2021 12:03:33 -0500
%X A fabrication technology to realize THz microstrip lines and passive circuit components is developed and tested making use of a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition grown silicon nitride (PECVD SiNx) dielectric membrane. We use 2 μm thick SiNx and 300 nm thick gold layers on sapphire substrates. We fabricate a set of structures for thru-reflect-line (TRL) calibration, with the reflection standard implemented as a short through the via. We find losses of 9.5 dB/mm at 300 GHz for a 50 Ohm line. For a branchline coupler we measure 2.5 dB insertion loss, 1 dB amplitude imbalance and 21 dB isolation. Good control over the THz lines parameters is proven by similar performance of a set of 5 structures. The directional couplers show -14 dB transmission to the coupled port, -24 dB to the isolated port and -25 dB in reflection. The SiNx membrane, used as a dielectric, is compatible with atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers allowing the application of this technology to the development of a THz near-field microscope.
%K microstrip
%K fixtures
%K coplanar waveguides
%K couplers
%K standards
%K probes
%K dielectrics
%R 10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2016.7758586
%U https://doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2016.7758586