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Publication Number
US-11502669-B2
Publication Date
2022-11-15
Expiration Date
Abstract
A microfabricated spectrometer uses at least one filter to discriminate the frequency components of an incoming RF signal. The filter center frequencies are chosen to correspond to wavelengths of target species which may be present in the gas, and radiating at a characteristic frequency.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a microfabricated sub-terahertz spectrometer for gas sensing that captures sub-terahertz radiation with an RF antenna and routes the captured radiation into a sub-terahertz mixer. The mixer uses a local oscillator having a frequency of greater than 100 GHz to generate a down-shifted intermediate frequency in a 1-100 GHz range, and the intermediate frequency corresponds to target gas indicator wavelengths.
The spectrometer includes at least one filter element coupled to the mixer, where the filter has a passband and center frequency associated with a target gas compound. At least one power monitoring circuit monitors transmission through the at least one filter, enabling discrimination of frequency components that correspond to gas compound indicators.
The disclosed configurations include a filter-bank approach with corresponding power-monitoring circuits for filter passbands, or tuning a tunable local oscillator across a frequency range and monitoring output versus local-oscillator frequency. The filter passband responses are used to identify a frequency component indicative of the presence of a target gas compound.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims, one directed to a multichannel microfabricated spectrometer architecture and one directed to a method for detecting a gas component. Across the independent claims, the inventive features center on RF capture in the sub-terahertz range, sub-terahertz mixing with a local oscillator above 100 GHz to generate an intermediate frequency in a 1-100 GHz range, frequency discrimination using a filter with a passband associated with a target gas compound, and monitoring filter transmission with power monitoring circuitry.
Multichannel microfabricated spectrometer with RF antenna capture in sub-terahertz range
A multichannel microfabricated spectrometer includes an RF antenna that captures radiation in the sub-terahertz range.
Sub-terahertz mixer with local oscillator frequency greater than 100 GHz
The multichannel microfabricated spectrometer includes a sub-terahertz mixer with a local oscillator frequency of greater than 100 GHz.
Filter passband and center frequency associated with target gas compound
The multichannel microfabricated spectrometer includes at least one filter element coupled to the mixer, wherein the filter has a passband and center frequency associated with a target gas compound.
Power monitoring circuit monitors transmission through the filter
The multichannel microfabricated spectrometer includes at least one power monitoring circuit that monitors the transmission through the at least one filter.
Gas detection by capturing sub-terahertz radiation using an RF antenna
A method for detecting a gas component includes capturing radiation in the sub-terahertz range using an RF antenna to produce an RF signal.
Mixing RF signal with local oscillator to produce intermediate frequency in 1-100 GHz range
The method includes mixing the RF signal with a local oscillator having a frequency in the sub-terahertz range with a sub-terahertz mixer, to produce an intermediate frequency in the 1-100 GHz range.
Applying intermediate frequency to filter having passband indicative of target gas compound
The method includes applying the intermediate frequency to at least one filter having a passband that includes a frequency indicative of the presence of a target gas compound.
Monitoring transmission through filter using power monitoring circuit
The method includes monitoring the level of transmission through the at least one filter with at least one power monitoring circuit.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage ties together sub-terahertz RF capture by an RF antenna, sub-terahertz mixing with a local oscillator frequency greater than 100 GHz to generate an intermediate frequency in the 1-100 GHz range, frequency discrimination using a filter element whose passband and center frequency are associated with a target gas compound, and monitoring transmission through the filter using power monitoring circuitry.
Stated Advantages
Enables frequency discrimination corresponding to target gas compound indicator wavelengths by using filter passbands and monitored transmission.
Enables identification of frequency components indicative of the presence of a target gas compound using output monitoring.
Facilitates low-cost fabrication through lithographic fabrication.
Enables inference of emission linewidth and gas pressure using filter bank behavior.
Documented Applications
Gas sensing/detection of a gas component by discriminating sub-terahertz spectral features associated with a target gas compound.
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