THz Science and Technology Seminar (TSTS) Series: Quasi-Optical Antenna Systems: From Space to Widespread THz Applications
THz waves are sandwiched between micro and optical waves with frequencies in the order from 300 GHz up to 10 THz. In this part of the spectrum, technological development remains less advanced compared to optics and microwaves. Electronic devices exhibit cut-off frequencies in the lower THz range, while the energy of THz waves at these frequencies is relatively low, resulting in limited available power and sensitivity. This raises the question of why exploration of this spectral region is worthwhile. Historically, and still predominantly, the primary application has been the development of receivers for astronomical observations in the THz band. The inherent limitations in power and sensitivity characteristic of this spectral region have been mitigated through radiation coupling mechanisms utilizing quasi-optical systems.
Recent advancements in silicon technology, coupled with the growing demand for increased bandwidth, have driven the global industry to explore higher frequencies, particularly within the 100–300 GHz spectral range, for sensing and communication applications. The broader bandwidth
available at these frequencies enables significantly faster wireless data transmission. Notably, 5G networks already utilize millimeter-wave frequencies, and this trend is expected to continue with the development of 6G. Additionally, radars operating at several hundred gigahertz are being employed for high-resolution object detection across various industrial applications.
In this presentation, I will provide an overview of our research activities on quasi-optical antenna systems, initially developed for THz space applications and more recently extended to communication and sensing applications. The discussion will cover the development of highfrequency electromagnetic models used for perfomance optimization, along with a review of multiple prototype implementations spanning in the 100 GHz to 3 THz frequency range.
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- Date: 09 May 2025
- Time: 01:00 PM UTC to 02:20 PM UTC
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- Co-sponsored by Stracom
- Starts 19 April 2025 04:00 AM UTC
- Ends 09 May 2025 04:00 AM UTC
- No Admission Charge
Speakers
Nuria Llombart of TU Delft, The Netherlands
Biography:
Nuria Llombart received the Master’s degree in electrical engineering and Ph.D. degrees from the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain, in 2002 and 2006, respectively. From 2002 to 2007, she was with the Antenna Group, TNO Defense, Security and Safety Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands. From 2007 to 2010, she was a Postdoctoral Fellow with the California Institute of Technology, working with the Submillimeter Wave Advance Technology Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, USA. She was a “Ramón y Cajal” fellow in the Optics Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain, from 2010 to 2012. In September 2012, she joined the THz Sensing Group, Technical University of Delft, Delft, the Netherlands, where she is a Full Professor as of February 2018.
Dr. Llombart was a recipient H. A. Wheeler Award for the Best Applications Paper of 2008 in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, the 2014 THz Science and Technology Best Paper Award of the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society, the 2014 IEEE
Antenna and Propagation Society Lot Shafai Mid-Career Distinguished Achievement Award, the European Research Council Starting Grant in 2015, and several NASA awards. She serves as a Board Member for the IRMMW-THz International Society; and she is the Editor in Chief
of the IEEE Transactions on THz Science and Technology since 2023.