Ecole De Technologie Superieure

Alexandre Robichaud

Frederic Nabki

Dominic Deslandes

Paul-Vahe Cicek

François Blanchard

Fatemah Amirkhan

There is described a terahertz modulation system. The terahertz modulation system generally has a terahertz signal emitter emitting a terahertz signal along a path; a modulation unit having a substrate and an electromechanical transducer actuatably mounted to said substrate, said electromechanical transducer having a terahertz interacting surface in said path receiving said terahertz signal and moving in back-and-forth sequences between first and second positions relative to said path upon actuation with a modulation signal, said moving modulating at least a portion of said terahertz signal; and a terahertz signal detector downstream from said modulation unit along said path, said terahertz signal detector synchronously measuring said modulated portion of said terahertz signal using said modulation signal, and generating a differential signal indicative thereof.

Terahertz modulation system and method of modulating a terahertz signal

Micro-machined acoustic and ultrasonic transducer (MAUT), particularly piezoelectric MAUT (PMAUT), performance tradeoffs have meant reasonable pixel depth resolution necessitated low quality factor (Q) transducers with power distributed over a large bandwidth yielding modest imaging ranges whilst high-Q transducers providing higher acoustic power output for longer imaging ranges exhibit extended ringing limiting pixel depth information. Accordingly, the inventors have established MAUTs supporting high-Q transducers for long-range high-resolution imaging by integrating electromechanical actuators (dampers) which can be selectively engaged to mechanically damped the MAUT. In several applications PMAUT arrays are required where all transducer elements should have almost identical resonant frequencies. However, prior art fabrication processes have tended to produce PMAUTs with large inter-chip and inter-wafer variances. Prior art methodologies to reduce inter-wafer process variations do not address intra-wafer or inter-chip process variations and accordingly the inventors have established manufacturing methodologies and design solutions to address these for the PMAUT resonant frequency.

Growing community of inventors

Montreal, Canada

Alexandre Robichaud