TY - CONF AU - Finkel, M. AU - Thierschmann, H. R. AU - Galatro, L. AU - Katan, A. J. AU - Thoen, D. J. AU - de Visser, P. J. AU - Spirito, M. AU - Klapwijk, T. M. PY - 2016 DA - 2016// TI - Branchline and directional THz coupler based on PECVD SiNx-technology T2 - 41st IRMMW-THz BT - 41st IRMMW-THz KW - microstrip KW - fixtures KW - coplanar waveguides KW - couplers KW - standards KW - probes KW - dielectrics AB - 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. SN - 2162-2035 SN - 978-1-4673-8485-8 UR - https://doi.org/10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2016.7758586 DO - 10.1109/IRMMW-THz.2016.7758586 N1 - exported from refbase (https://db.rplab.ru/refbase/show.php?record=1295), last updated on Sun, 09 May 2021 12:03:33 -0500 ID - Finkel_etal2016 ER -