Summary:
Researchers in UCLA’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have designed and fabricated an innovative device capable of frequency division at the Terahertz range, featuring low power consumption, quadrature outputs, and high sensitivity.
Background:
Traditional electronic and optical devices struggle to operate at the terahertz range, which holds promise for ultra-fast 6G wireless data transmission, high-resolution imaging, radar, and sensing. Frequency dividers are critical in frequency synthesizer systems for these applications. However, current models, such as injection-locked frequency dividers (ILFDs) and Miller dividers suffer from narrow tuning ranges, high power consumption, and difficulty achieving quadrature outputs. ILFDs are further limited by their narrow-band oscillatory networks, restricting division range. Thus, there is an unmet need for a broadband terahertz frequency divider with high sensitivity, low power consumption, and minimal phase noise to improve widespread adoption of THz-range technologies.
Innovation:
Aydin Babakhani and his research team have developed a groundbreaking PIN diode frequency divider in Silicon, achieving the highest input frequency division reported for any silicon-based divider. By leveraging carrier storage in PIN diodes, this divider consumes near-zero DC power while generating high-quality quadrature outputs. With a broad division range, minimal phase noise, and no self-oscillation, it operates efficiently at THz frequencies. Extensive testing confirms negligible power consumption and phase noise, surpassing the performance of existing ILFDs. This innovation promises to revolutionize low-power frequency synthesis for THz-range technologies with applications across both electrical and optical disciplines.
Potential Applications:
● Imaging and spectroscopy systems
● Radar and sensing
● 6G wireless communication
● Military and defense applications
● Autonomous vehicle navigation
● Telecommunications
● Low-power, high-frequency electronics
Advantages:
● Ultra-low DC power consumption
● High-quality quadrature outputs
● Operates across a broad frequency range, including THz
● Minimal phase noise
State of Development:
The proposed circuit has been designed and fabricated, with results demonstrating the lowest DC power consumption and the ability to divide the highest frequencies compared to other similar frequency dividers.
Related Papers:
1. W. Ryan and H. Williams, "The Carrier-Storage Frequency Divider:A Steady-State Analysis," in IEEE Transactions on Circuit Theory, vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 396-403, September 1964, doi:
10.1109/TCT.1964.1082318.
2. S. Thomas et al., "A 0.4-4 THz p-i-n Diode Frequency Multiplier in 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS," in IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 58, no. 9, pp. 2407-2420, Sept. 2023, doi:
10.1109/JSSC.2023.3289129.
Reference:
UCLA Case No. 2025-023
Lead Inventor:
Aydin Babakhani