Abstract

Recent studies [1,2,3] of electromagnetic transients from gap discontinuities in microstrip structures driven by picosecond and subpicosecond photoconductive currents indicate a potential for using optical means for generating and detecting milllimeter waves. It has been demonstrated [ ]that short coherent burst of radiation with wavelength components in the millimeter and submillimeter range can be used to perform fundamental studies of materials suitable for a variety of uses including: electro-optic samplers, modulators and millimeter wave circuits. It is desirable to have more sophisticated antenna elements than gap discontinuities that can provide a greater degree of control of the space and time distribution of photoconductively generated and detected radiation. To be of general use, it is also desirable that such antennas be of a size comparable to other device elements found in integrated millimeter wave cicuits and be fabricated on standard substrate materials using planar technology.

© 1987 Optical Society of America