CW operation of 94GHz Gyro-TWA for telecommunications applications

This proposal will develop the world's highest power (kW), broadest instantaneous bandwidth, frequency agile amplifiers operating in the mm-wave/terahertz range. The gyro-amplifiers offers a unique opportunity to fill a long standing gap in the generation of high power coherent millimetre and sub millimetre wave radiation with its promise of amplification with an unprecedented 20% instantaneous bandwidth and an unrivalled power of 5kW at 94 GHz. Building on the recent success of "W He et al PRL 2013, 110, art 165101, 2013", the mm/sub-mm wave gyro-TWA will enable a paradigm shift in what is achievable for a ground based, cellular telecommunications network by providing tera-bit data rates. This is possible due to the fact that the wireless gyro-TWA operating at sub-THz frequencies does not need to use opto-electronic components currently limiting data rates of optical schemes.

Another major area of development is the possibility of exploiting the world leading gyro-TWA to be used in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation (DNP) spectroscopy which is currently hampered by the lack of high power sources and especially broadband amplifiers of terahertz radiation.

In addition the gyro-TWA would be an ideal source for cloud profiling radar and the detection of atmospheric pollutants because the atmospheric absorption, penetration and scattering losses, practical stand-off systems require considerable power, typically hundreds of watts. Other applications include high frequency long range security imaging, space situational awareness (detecting space debris), terrain mapping (volcano monitoring), radar and long range, high bandwidth, line of sight communications and real time video-rate detection of hidden explosives and illegal drugs.