GaN Terahertz Technology Breakthrough: NEDI Develops High-Performance 340GHz Frequency Multiplier Chain
Recently, the Nanjing Electronic Devices Institute (NEDI) achieved a significant breakthrough in Terahertz solid-state technology by successfully developing a high-performance 340GHz frequency multiplier chain based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) Terahertz Monolithic Integrated Circuit (TMIC) technology. This innovation offers a novel solution for the efficient generation of high-power Terahertz-band signals. The related findings, titled "A 340-GHz frequency multiplier chain based on GaN monolithic integrated circuit technology," have been published in Infrared Physics and Technology (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infrared.2025.106091), with Dr. Zheng Yiyuan and Dr. Zhang Kai serving as corresponding authors.
Terahertz Wave Potential and the Challenges of Solid-State Sources
Terahertz waves—with their advantages of wide bandwidth, strong penetrability, high safety, and excellent directionality—are regarded as the core technology for future wireless communication and multi-dimensional sensing.
The Enormous Potential of the 340GHz Band in Ultra-High-Speed Applications
Specifically, the 340GHz band demonstrates immense potential in cutting-edge fields such as ultra-high-speed data transmission, high-resolution imaging, and remote sensing. However, the effective generation of signals in this band has faced severe technical hurdles.
The Power Bottleneck in Conventional Terahertz Solid-State Sources
Signal generation in the 340GHz band is limited by the physical properties of existing semiconductor materials and transmission losses at Terahertz frequencies. Consequently, the output power of conventional THz solid-state sources is extremely low, severely restricting application development. The wide-bandgap semiconductor material, GaN, with its high breakdown electric field, offers significantly stronger power-handling capability compared to Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), opening the door for the realization of high-power Terahertz solid-state sources.
Technical Innovations of GaN Terahertz Monolithic Integrated Circuit
To overcome the challenges of power and thermal management, this research employed innovative GaN Terahertz Monolithic Integrated Circuit (TMIC) technology.
High-Efficiency Thermal Structure with Multi-Anode GaN SBD Arrays on SiC
The research team ingeniously combined a multi-anode GaN SBD (Schottky Barrier Diode) array topology with a Silicon Carbide (SiC) substrate, known for its high thermal conductivity. This collaboration resulted in a high-power-tolerant, enhanced heat dissipation structure. This design not only substantially increases the device's power handling capability but also drastically reduces thermal accumulation in the core area, ensuring stability under high-power operation.
Bias Circuitry and Monolithic Integration for Optimized Efficiency and Reliability
Furthermore, the monolithic integration process effectively eliminates the assembly errors inherent in using discrete diodes, fundamentally boosting the performance and reliability of the Terahertz multiplier. The study also introduced a novel bias circuit which allows for the precise adjustment of the SBD operating point to achieve the optimal multiplication efficiency, thereby maximizing the final output power.
World-Leading Performance and Significant Impact
The performance achieved by this GaN Terahertz technology is globally leading.
Measured Continuous-Wave Output Power at 170GHz and 340GHz
The developed 340GHz frequency multiplier chain consists of two stages of GaN multipliers (170GHz and 340GHz), supporting the application needs of both bands simultaneously. Experimental measurements demonstrated:
The 170GHz multiplier achieved a continuous-wave (CW) output power of 411mW.
The 340GHz multiplier achieved a CW output power of 82.2mW.
The CW output power remained above 50mW across the 320–350GHz band.
This peak power of 82.2mW is currently the highest value reported internationally, marking a significant global achievement in the field of high-power Terahertz solid-state sources.
Core Driver for Next-Generation High-Speed Wireless Communication and Sensing
This breakthrough provides a new, highly efficient path for solving the critical problem of high-power signal generation in the Terahertz band. It holds profound significance for advancing technologies in next-generation high-speed wireless communication, high-resolution imaging, and remote sensing.
