Abstract
This work presents two 340-GHz signal source designs with on-chip antennas for terahertz (THz) imaging applications. The first signal source (1st SS) adopts a triple-push oscillator topology to generate a single-ended THz signal which is radiated out by a proposed on-chip high-gain bondwire antenna with simulated antenna gain as high as 2.9 dBi at 340 GHz. The second signal source (2nd SS) is realized by a proposed triple-push oscillator topology which can provide differential output without any additional balun required. The differential output is radiated to the air by an on-chip differential patch antenna with simulated antenna gain of -3.9 dBi at 340 GHz. These two signal sources are implemented in 40-nm digital CMOS technology. The measured output frequency and the equivalent isotropically radiated power of the 1st SS and 2nd SS are 346 GHz and 336 GHz, and -17.1 dBm and -16.8 dBm, while only consuming 58.3 mW and 44.6 mW from a 1.1 V supply, respectively.