Planar antennas for all-electronic terahertz systems

In contrast to systems that have optoelectronic sources and detectors of freely propagating pulses, systems driven with nonlinear transmission lines always require antennas. The important subset of planar antennas on dielectric substrates is discussed; these can be integrated with nonlinear transmission lines. Properties relevant to picosecond-pulse generation and detection are emphasized. Experimental data show slot and bow-tie antennas to be simple to integrate and to have excellent phase coherence in this ultrawideband application.