Cusp electron beam source for terahertz gyro-amplifier
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Standoff, real time video rate high resolution imaging and sensing of conceived contrabands such as weapons, explosives, drugs, chemical and biological materials are hampered by the lack of high power sources and especially broadband amplifiers of terahertz radiation. The gyro-amplifiers based on a recent technological breakthrough at the University of Strathclyde offer a unique opportunity to fill this long standing technology gap and promise amplification with an unprecedented 10% instantaneous bandwidth and an unrivalled, 100 and 200 W respectively for 625 and 400 GHz (W He et al PRL 2013, 110, art 165101, 2013). Such a source will also improve the sensitivity by many orders of magnitude of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) through (DNP) techniques and enable high field pulse EPR (for materials and biomolecular characterisation). The EPR and DNP enhanced NMR (including the possibility of pulsed DNP-NMR and the use of phase and amplitude modulation) experiments will give rise to absolutely world-leading research. It will strongly enhance the UK's position as a world leader in a wide range of academic research areas, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine.
As well as for EPR and DNP these sources are also of interest in magnetically confined fusion for use in plasma diagnostics. Because the amplifiers have wide instantaneous bandwidth they may be adjusted dynamically to a wider range of plasma parameters, in comparison to a single frequency source technique.
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 jamming (of guided missiles) and long range, high bandwidth, line of sight communications, real time video-rate detection of hidden explosives and illegal drugs.
The gyro-TWA is also an ideal source for quantum computing based on electron spin qubits. A world-leading example of emerging quantum technology is the coherent use of the electron spin associated with a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond. To obtain enough spectral resolution it requires fast coherent control of the NV electron spin with a high-power (hundreds Watts), high frequency (hundreds GHz) at a high magnetic field.
As well as for EPR and DNP these sources are also of interest in magnetically confined fusion for use in plasma diagnostics. Because the amplifiers have wide instantaneous bandwidth they may be adjusted dynamically to a wider range of plasma parameters, in comparison to a single frequency source technique.
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 jamming (of guided missiles) and long range, high bandwidth, line of sight communications, real time video-rate detection of hidden explosives and illegal drugs.
The gyro-TWA is also an ideal source for quantum computing based on electron spin qubits. A world-leading example of emerging quantum technology is the coherent use of the electron spin associated with a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond. To obtain enough spectral resolution it requires fast coherent control of the NV electron spin with a high-power (hundreds Watts), high frequency (hundreds GHz) at a high magnetic field.
Planned Impact
We believe the proposal has the potential to create impact on an academic, societal and economic level as well as contributing to the training and career advancement of future research leaders in an important technology area.
The gyro-TWA is a technology with potential for high societal impact on a large number of themes, with strong public recognition, such as 1) security and safety of society: real time security imaging (through clothes and bags) for contrabands such as explosives, illegal drugs, long range high resolution radar imaging of invading flying objects or space debris; 2). well-being and longevity of society: through its high sensitivity NMR and MRI as methods of biomarkers, imaging and medicine discovery for large numbers of diseases including cancers; 3) better environment and weather predictions: monitoring of volcanic ash, cloud and pollutant profiling 4) next generation energy sources: through its plasma diagnostic capability and 5) fast information processing: through quantum computing based on electron spin qubits.
It has huge economic impacts through our links with TMD Ltd, (switched mode power supply manufacturers), e2v Ltd (vacuum tube manufacturers), Teratech (terahertz imaging and sensing components), Thomas Keating Ltd (spectrometer and EPR instrumentation) and through academic colleagues in the fields of terahertz imaging and sensing applications, and hence to further social impacts due to the pull-through to security. There are also important, significant applications for these terahertz amplifiers in NMR, EPR, medical imaging, radar and material characterisation.
The gyro-TWA is a technology with potential for high societal impact on a large number of themes, with strong public recognition, such as 1) security and safety of society: real time security imaging (through clothes and bags) for contrabands such as explosives, illegal drugs, long range high resolution radar imaging of invading flying objects or space debris; 2). well-being and longevity of society: through its high sensitivity NMR and MRI as methods of biomarkers, imaging and medicine discovery for large numbers of diseases including cancers; 3) better environment and weather predictions: monitoring of volcanic ash, cloud and pollutant profiling 4) next generation energy sources: through its plasma diagnostic capability and 5) fast information processing: through quantum computing based on electron spin qubits.
It has huge economic impacts through our links with TMD Ltd, (switched mode power supply manufacturers), e2v Ltd (vacuum tube manufacturers), Teratech (terahertz imaging and sensing components), Thomas Keating Ltd (spectrometer and EPR instrumentation) and through academic colleagues in the fields of terahertz imaging and sensing applications, and hence to further social impacts due to the pull-through to security. There are also important, significant applications for these terahertz amplifiers in NMR, EPR, medical imaging, radar and material characterisation.
People |
ORCID iD |
Wenlong He (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
McElhinney P
(2017)
An Output Coupler for a W-Band High Power Wideband Gyroamplifier
in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Zhang L
(2016)
Bandwidth Study of the Microwave Reflectors with Rectangular Corrugations
in Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves
Zhang L
(2018)
Investigation on the optimal magnetic field of a cusp electron gun for a W-band gyro-TWA
in Physics of Plasmas
Zhang L
(2018)
Optimization of a triode-type cusp electron gun for a W-band gyro-TWA
in Physics of Plasmas
Donaldson C
(2016)
Wide-Band ${\hbox{HE}}_{11}$ Mode Terahertz Wave Windows for Gyro-Amplifiers
in IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology
Description | We can design a high quality cusp electron beam source at 5T level. |
Exploitation Route | we will later design a terahertz amplifier demonstrator in which the cusp gun will be designed by the code developed in the project period. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | The impact will be related to the cusp gun based terahertz amplifier. The amplifier can be used for terahertz telecommunications, RADAR, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) |
Impact Types | Cultural |
Description | CW operation of 94GHz Gyro-TWA for telecommunications applications |
Amount | £364,602 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/P001890/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 01/2020 |
Description | STFC Global Challenge Concepts, PI Dr. Wenlong He |
Amount | £62,100 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/M007278/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2015 |
End | 12/2015 |
Description | STFC Innovation Partnership Scheme, PI Dr. Wenlong He |
Amount | £449,300 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/P001890/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2017 |
End | 01/2020 |
Description | STFC follow-on grant, PI Dr. Wenlong He, Development of a W-band gyro-amplifier for high power, wideband pulsed coherent application |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ST/N002326/1 |
Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2015 |
End | 05/2016 |
Title | CST Microwave Studio for CUSP gun design |
Description | CST PIC was used to simulate the cuso gun and the results were compared with the results from Magic code. They are in excellent agreements, Through this work we achieved a new simulation code to design the cusp electron beam source |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Now the CST-PIC can be used to simulate the CUSP beam. |
Title | Further simulation results of the Cusp electron beam source for terahertz gyro-amplifier |
Description | this data set includes the simulation results of the cusp electron gun for the terahertz gyrotron traveling wave amplifier. The phase space information and the position of the simulated particles are included in the data file. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | This results has resulted in a new STFC grant "CW operation of 94GHz Gyro-TWA for telecommunications applications", ST/P001890/1, £364,602 awarded. The results was also used to apply an EPSRC Established Carrer Fellowship submitted in Feb 2017. |
URL | https://pure.strath.ac.uk/admin/editor/dk/atira/pure/modules/datasets/external/model/dataset/editor/... |
Title | Simulation report of cusp electron beam source for terahertz gyro-amplifier |
Description | This is a report on the simulation of cusp electron beam source for terahertz gyro-amplifier which was supported by STFC Global Challenge Concepts fund (R141139). |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | The result from this grant was used to apply an EPSRC Established Career Fellowship grant in which terahertz cusp gun will be manufactured to drive a terahertz gyro-TWA. |
URL | https://pure.strath.ac.uk/admin/editor/dk/atira/pure/modules/datasets/external/model/dataset/editor/... |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | Bruker Corporation |
Department | Bruker BioSpin |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | ETH Zurich |
Department | Department of Materials |
Country | Switzerland |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | Radboud University Nijmegen |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Description | MARTHA Network |
Organisation | University of St Andrews |
Department | School of Biology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This research successfully confirmed numerical simulations that it is possible to design a high quality cusp electron beam for a terahertz amplifier. This gave us confidence in preparation of the MARTHA network |
Collaborator Contribution | proposal writing in the areas of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization. |
Impact | THz is preparing another grants application with a subcontract to the PI |
Start Year | 2015 |
Title | CST-PIC Cusp gun code |
Description | A code that can be used to design a cusp electron gun |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Impact | This gives us confidence for future design of cusp gun. |
Company Name | THz Power Ltd |
Description | The company is in the process of spining out by the University of Strathclyde. |
Year Established | 2016 |
Impact | The company will commercialize mm-wave amplifier technology as a key device for the next generation wireless telecommunication and DNP/EPR instruments. |
Description | Demonstration of W-band gyro-TWA for telecommunication application |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | 3 professional staff from Keysight Technolofies joined us in measurement of the phase noise and linearity of the guro-TWA. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Lab demonstration of the gyro-TWA for application of frequency-moduled signal |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The gyro-TWA abstracts huge interests in the telecommunication and magnetic resonance communities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | Plenary talk at the 2016 IEEE UK-Europe-China Workshop on Millimeter Waves and THz Technologies (IEEE UCMMT 2016) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | I gave a plenary talk at the 9th IEEE UK-Europe-China Workshop on Millimeter Waves and THz Technologies (IEEE UCMMT 2016) in Qingdao, China during 5-7 September, 2016. It is a unique forum for presenting advances in millimeter waves and THz technologies as well as facilitating collaboration and exchange opportunities between the UK, mainland Europe and China. I gave one of the 4 invited keynote plenary talks titled "Strathclyde millimetre wave and THz source research" in a conference consisting of 110 oral presentation (22 invited papers) in 12 oral sessions and 2 poster sessions. The outcome that has arisen two visiting scientists to Strathclyde, Dr. Junping Zhao from High Voltage Division, School of Electrical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China and Dr. Wang Li from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://ucmmt2016.com/ |