Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

The Unit of Electro-Optical Engineering

Ariel University
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Millimeter wave and Terahertz Laboratory

Experiment : Noise-equivalent power

of Up-Conversion

Supervisors
Amir Abramovich
Moti Ben-Laish
Yitzhak Yitzhaky
Daniel Rozban
Natan S. Kopeika

Experiment date
11/02/2019
 Abstract
The demand for millimeter wave (MMW) communication systems has increased in
recent years due to new technologies especially the New Radio standard. In this
report we will examine the noise equivalent power of new MMW detector based on
up-conversion of MMW to visible light.

1
Contents

Abstract 1

List of Figures 4

List of Tables 5

1 Objectives 6

2 Theoretical Background 6
2.1 Noise from detection using GDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2 Matrix optics - Ray optics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2.1 Free Space Propagation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.2.2 Transmission Through a Thin Lens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.3 Reflection from a Spherical Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2.4 Matrices of Cascaded Optical Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.3 Direct Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.4 Measured Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.4.1 Responsivity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.4.2 Noise Equivalent Power (NEP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.5 Electrical Circuit for GDD and GDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

3 Equipment 12

4 Measuring the NEP of the photoreceiver and GDD as a detector 12

4.1 Responsivity of detector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.1.2 Results and discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.1.3 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.2 Detector Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.2.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.2.2 Results and discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.2.3 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

5 Comparing to experiment in [1] 23

5.1 Detector Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.1.1 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.1.2 Results and discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

2
 5.1.3 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

6 Summary 26

References 26

3
List of Figures
1 Properties of ray in optical system[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2 Transmission Through a Thin Lens[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
3 Transmission Through a Thin Lens[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4 Reflection from a Spherical Mirror[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
5 Cascaded of matrices[2] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
6 Direct detection schema [6] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7 Electrical circuit of GDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
8 Equivalent AC circuit of GDD [5] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
9 Finding best location of GDD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
10 Responsivity measurement setup image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
11 Power meter window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
12 Power meter box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
13 Measure the power in the best location using Absolute power meter . . 17
14 Detection signals measurements results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
15 Detection voltage a function of location results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
16 3D Beam waist distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
17 Detector noise measure setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
18 Detector noise measure setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
19 Experiment setup from 2016 Paper [1] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
20 Image of experiment setup from 2016 Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
21 Experiment setup from 2016 Paper [1] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

4
List of Tables
1 Detection signals measurement results values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
2 Responsivity calculate values according to (10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
3 Responsivity for matrix method calculate values according to (10) . . . . 21
4 comparison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

5
1 Objectives
• Measure the responsivity of the up-conversion detection.
• Measure the Noise equivalent power in direct detection using neon lamp (as a
glow discharge detector - GDD) and photoreceiver.
• Define the better setup for Up-conversion detection.

2 Theoretical Background

2.1 Noise from detection using GDD

In the experiment we want to explore the noises in the up-conversion direct detection
method. Up-conversion method use some elements that influence on the detector noise,
the main impact of noise generate by GDD. According to [5] GDD noise can be describe
by thermal noise. Noise voltage describe by,

   1
2Pdc 2
Vn = 4 kTe + BR0 (1)
Nυ

Where B is the measured bandwidth, R0 is tube dc resistance, N is number of free

electrons, Pdc is average power dissipation in the tube, Te is the resulting electron
temperature and υ is the electron-neutral atom elastic collision frequency.

2.2 Matrix optics - Ray optics

One of the ways to trace paraxial rays is a matrix method. The ray describe as input
vector of high and angle object to optical system. Optical system can be describe as a
2x2 matrix that called transfer matrix. In the upper part of figure 1 we can see ray in
high y (distance from optical axis) and angle θ in the bottom of figure 1 we can see a
ray in the input and output plane of the optical system. We can see the high and angle
of the ray was changed at the output.

6
 Figure 1: Properties of ray in optical system [2]

The following equations can describe this change [2],

y2 = Ay1 + Bθ1
(2)
θ2 = Cy1 + Dθ1

Where y1 is the position and θ1 angle of input ray and y2 is the position and θ2 angle of
output ray. A,B,C,D are real numbers that characterize the optical system. We can write
the equations (3) in matrix as follow,
" # " #" #
y2 A B y1
= (3)
θ2 C D θ1

The matrix of A,B,C,D elements donates in M and called ray-transfer matrix.

2.2.1 Free Space Propagation

In case of ray propagation throw free space without any interface like in figure 2 the
matrix that describe it will be, " #
1 d
M= (4)
0 1
Where d is the distance of propagation.

7
 Figure 2: Transmission Through a Thin Lens [2]

2.2.2 Transmission Through a Thin Lens

Suppose that our optical system its just thin lens like in figure 3.

Figure 3: Transmission Through a Thin Lens [2]

So, the ray-transfer matrix of the system will be,

" #
1 0
M= 1 (5)
−f 1

where f referred to focal length of the lens.

2.2.3 Reflection from a Spherical Mirror

For spherical mirror like in figure4 the ray-transfer matrix will be,
" #
1 0
M= 2
(6)
R 1

Where R is the radios of curvature of the mirror.

8
 Figure 4: Reflection from a Spherical Mirror [2]

2.2.4 Matrices of Cascaded Optical Components

In order to chrachterize full optical system which may have some optical elements we
need to define the matrix for each element ad then multipy them,

Figure 5: Cascaded of matrices [2]

Calculation of the ray-transfer matrix of the system can be done with,

M = Mn · · · M2 · M1 (7)

2.3 Direct Detection

Direct detection schema can be see in figure 6. Signal and background (or noise)
radiation focused by lens to photodetector with optical filter for filtering the noise and
amplifier (A).

Figure 6: Direct detection schema [6]

In our case the photodetector combine two elements GDD and photoreceiver. The
changes in signal current IOUT of the GDD due to MMW radiation in direct detection
method can be describe by [1],

G · q2 · V · n
    
τ υ − τt

∆I (t) = · · η0 · PD · · 1 − e (8)
Vi · m τi υ2 + ω 2

9
where G represents the internal signal amplification, q is the electron charge, V is the
average electron velocity, n is the electron density, Vi is the gas ionization potential, m is
the electron mass, τ is the time response to create current changes, τi is the time between
ionization collisions of electrons with gas atoms, η0 is the free space impedance, PD is
the incident MMW radiation power density on the detector and ω is the electromagnetic
radiation frequency.

2.4 Measured Parameters

2.4.1 Responsivity

Responsivity is parameter of detectors that describe how large a current response is

generated by the detector per unit incident radiant power. The relationship between
responsivity and current can be describe by [6],

ηq
I= GP = RP (9)
hυ

Where I is current response, R is the responsivity, G is the gain, P is the radiant power
and h is Planck constant from (9) we can write,

I
R= (10)
P
Responsivity can be defined also for voltage so that in equation (10) we can replace I in
V. The responsivity in case of glow discharge detection defined as[5],

Vd (t) Gq2 dn τ υ
R= = η0 2 Req (11)
Pd Ar Vi m τi υ + ω 2

Where Ar is detecting area of GDD, Vd (t) is the detected signal voltage,d is the dis-
tance through the discharge transversed by the electromagnetic signal and Req is the
equivalent resistance of load resistor and dynamic resistor of GDD.

2.4.2 Noise Equivalent Power (NEP)

The NEP is a parameter that describes the detector’s sensitivity for low power signal.
The lower the NEP the detector more sensitive. The NEP is function of noise and
responsivity[1],
Vn Psmin
NEP = √ = √ (12)
R· B B
Where Psmin is minimal detected signal power.

10
2.5 Electrical Circuit for GDD and GDD
The GDD in the experiment connected using the electrical circuit as in figure 7. To
control the current and filtered the DC power in the output current we use a resistor
and capacitor. In figure 8 we can see equivalent circuit of GDD, the circuit contains
resistor capacitor and inductor.

Figure 7: Electrical circuit of GDD

Figure 8: Equivalent AC circuit of GDD [5]

11
3 Equipment
• 4in off axis parabolic mirror
• Photoreceiver LCA-S-400K-Si + power supply
• Polyethylene (PE) Lens with 6cm focal length
• Oscilloscope
• Spectrum analyzer
• Arbitrary function generator
• High voltage DC power supply
• N523 Green Neon Lamp
• Optical Long-pass filter FEL0750
• Absolute Terahertz Power/Energy Meter + PC with Tomas kitting software
• VDI 92-101 GHz transmitter with horn antenna from A-info LB-10-25
• DC power supply
• Electrical circuit for neon lamp
• Amplifier
• Optomechanics components
• Optical table
• Digital Multi-meter
• Ruler and protractor
• T BNC splitter
• Micrometer changes base

4 Measuring the NEP of the photoreceiver and GDD as a de-

tector
As we saw in (12), we need the information about the noise distribution and the
responsivity to calculate the NEP. In 4.1 we will measure the responsivity and in 4.2 we
measure the noise.

4.1 Responsivity of detector

4.1.1 Procedure

Responsivity calculation build from two parts, estimate the power that incident on the
gap between GDD electrodes and measure the output voltage of photoreceiver. In this
experiment the GDD was on head-on configuration so the active area of detection was

12
1 mm2 . Power estimation was done with two experiments. The first was calculated
 

the power in GDD plane based on absolute power meter, the second was trying to
estimate the beam waist in the GDD plane.
First Experiment setup
The first step was finding the higher detection signal GDD location. The location found
using the setup in figure 9. The following steps was done for build the setup:
Setup building steps

• Tune DC power supply to 9.9 [V ] and connected it to the VCO input from VDI
transmitter to getting 100 [ GHz] RF frequency at the horn antenna (that connected
to VDI transmitter RF output). When the plane of polarization of VDI transmitter
parallel to beam propagation axis.
• Create TTL signal at frequency of 100 [kHz] using an arbitrary function generator,
the TTL signal connected to TTL input of VDI transmitter and to channel 1 in the
oscilloscope using T BNC splitter.
• Then, VDI transmitter connected to power supply.
• VDI transmitter place in the front of off axis parabolic mirror (OAM) in distance
(d1 ) of 14.8 [cm].
• PE lens place at distance (d2 ) of 10 [cm] from the mirror in the reflected beam
direction.
• Placing the GDD and his electrical circuit in the focal plane of the PE lens at 6 [cm].
• Connecting the electrical circuit to a high voltage power supply, digital multimeter
was connected in series to measure the current that provided to GDD electrical
circuit. The current was set to 6 [mA].
• The output of the electrical circuit connected to amplifier. The amplifier connected
to the power supply with three different voltages outputs (±5, 0 [V ]).
• The amplifier output connected to channel 2 in the oscilloscope.
• Photoreceiver connected to power supply placed over the GDD, when long pass
filter was placed between then like in figure 10.
• Photoreceiver output connected to channel 3 of oscilloscope.
In order to find the best location for the GDD we tune the GDD location for maximize
the peak to peak voltage reading from the channel 3. For convenience and comparing
we use the output of channel 2 to see if the photoreceiver in saturation.

13
Figure 9: Finding best location of GDD

14
 Figure 10: Responsivity measurement setup image

After finding the best location, noise measurement was done, full details on this
measurement appear in 4.2. Then, the GDD and his electrical circuit removed from the
setup. In order to measure power, we used an absolute power meter. The power meter
includes two elements, one that measures the power (Window, figure 11) and another
box for processing the data and send him to PC (figure 12). The power meter window
has three ports and one on-off switch.

15
 Figure 11: Power meter window

Figure 12: Power meter box

In order to measure with this power meter the VDI transmitter needs be modulate
using TTL signal at 30 [ Hz] [4]. So we change the frequency of the arbitrary function
generator to the right value, to get accurate measure the window should be placed in
55◦ (Brewster angle) with the plane of polarization in the plane of incidence as in figure
13[4]. The following steps was done for using the power meter:
Power meter setup
• Connect the upper port of the window (see figure 11) to signal port in the power
meter box.
• One port from the two ports in the side of the window connected to the heater
port in the box.
• Connect the Reference port in the power meter box to the TTL signal from genera-
tor using T BNC splitter.
• Connected the box to PC (with Tomas Kitting software) via USB connection.
• Turn on the switch on the window and calibrate the power meter using the
software (when VDI transmitter is powered off).
• Placing the window in 55◦ to the radiation propagate axis. In the previous location
of the GDD.
Then, we turn on VDI transmitter and save the measured power value that appear in
the software.

16
 Figure 13: Measure the power in the best location using Absolute power meter

Second experiment setup

The setup was like in figure 9. After finding the best location for GDD we make
millimeter on the vertical axis in the perpendicular plane to prorogation axis. In every
millimeter we measure the peak to peak voltage value of electrical detection signal.
Changes was done until we almost don’t see detection signal in the scope.

4.1.2 Results and discussion

First experiment
The results of detection signals measurements of the up-conversion detector can see seen
in figure 14, the yellow line in the TTL signal, the green line in the electrical detection
signal (output voltage of amplifier in channel 2 of the scope - figure 9), the blue line is
the optical detection signal (output of photoreceiver). The results value appear in table

17
(1). Things to be consider is the gain value of every detected signal. In the electrical
detection the gain was 50, so the signal before detection was 1.97 50 = 39.4 [ mV ]. In
the optical detection the photoreceiver include transimpedance amplifier with gain
of 1 · 107 V
 
A , so the current in the output of the photodiode without amplifying was
68[mV ]
IPD = = 6.8 [nA].
1·107 [ V
A]

Figure 14: Detection signals measurements results

Table 1: Detection signals measurement results values

Amp noAmp
Detection VP2P VP2P
Electrical 1.97 [V ] 39.4m [V ]
Optical 68m [V ] 6.8n [ A]

In the power meter software we get value of 90 ± 9 [mW ]. The diameter of the
sensitive area of the power meter is 30 [mm] [4].
Second Experiment
The results appear on figure 15. According to equation (8) their is liner relationship
between GDD Power radiate and current changes. The MMW beam assumes to be
Gaussian distribution with GDD in the middle of the beam. We also assumes that most
of beam energy lies on the power meter window sensitive area. So we make fitting to
Gaussian distribution.

18
 Electrical detection in different millimeter steps
1.2
Measured
Gaussian Fitting
1

Detection voltage peak to peak[V]

0.8

0.6

0.4

R-square of gaussian fitting:

0.2 0.99521

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
steps[mm]

Figure 15: Detection voltage a function of location results

The model of fitting was,

2 ! a = 1.023 (−0.2816, 2.328)

x−b

f itobject ( x ) = a · exp − , b = −1.532 (−12.69, 9.63) (13)
c
c = 7.497 (1.305, 13.69)

We can see that fitting to Gaussian was very good. We can see that according to the
fitting the central of Gaussian curve was 1.5[mm] left, but there is big error range
(−12.69, 9.63). We can also understand that after 1.05[cm] from the center power
distribution function we almost have no MMW power. In figure 16 there is simulation
of beam distribution according to the fitting model in (13).

Figure 16: 3D Beam waist distribution

19
 According to measurements, we can say that most of the radiant power assume
to be 90% will be on circle with 1.05 · 2 = 2.1[cm] diameter. If we assume that power
distribute uniformly, so, the power in the area of square centimeter is,

h i h i
81 mW mW
2 cm2
= 23.386 cm2
( 2.12 ) π

When the active area of GDD on head-on configuration (the length of the electrodes
multiplied the distance between them)[8] is 1[mm2 ] so the power radiates the GDD is
0.1 · 23.386 = 2.338[mW ]. According to (10), when we take voltage instead of current,
the responsivity will be,

Table 2: Responsivity calculate values according to (10)

h i h i
Amp V noAmp V
Detection signal VP2P W VP2P W

Electrical 825.64 16.85

Optical 29.08 2.9µ

If we use the ray tracing using matrix optics we can calculate the beam waist in the
GDD plane. In the system we have five optical components, where every component
will describe by matrix. M1 is the free space propagation (4) from VDI source to
OAM, M2 describe the OAM influence (6) where R equal to 14.8 [cm], M3 is free space
propagation from OAM to PE lens, M4 is the influence of PE lens (5) with focal point
of 6 [cm] and! M5 describe !the free space
!
propagation! from PE lens !
to GDD plane.
!
1 d1 1 14.8 [cm] 1 0 1 0 1 d2 1 10 [cm]
M1 = = ; M2 = 2
= 2 ; M3 = =
0 1 0 1 R 1 14.8[cm]
1 0 1 0 1
! ! ! !
1 0 1 0 1 d3 1 6 [cm]
M4 = = 1 ; M5 = =
− 1f 1 − 6[cm ]
1 0 1 0 1
Using (7) we get the ray-transfer matrix of the system,
!
−4.46 0.18
M=
−25.67 0.81

For input Ray with high (half beam waist) of 6.2 [mm] and entrance angle of 10◦ we get,
" # " # " # " # " #
wout win −4.46 0.18 6.2 · 10−3 3.7 · 10−3
= M· = · =
θout θout −25.67 0.81 0.1745 −0.0177

The beam waist according to matrix method is 2 · wout = 7.4 [mm]. In this case the
power in square centimeter will be,
h i h i
81 mW mW
2 2 = 7.53 mm2
( 3.72 ) π mm

20
 h i
mW
In that case, the power radiates the GDD will be 7.53 mm2
, then responsivity will be,

Table 3: Responsivity for matrix method calculate values according to (10)

h i h i
Amp V noAmp V
Detection signal VP2P W VP2P W

Electrical 261.6 5.23

Optical 9.03 0.9µ

4.1.3 Conclusions

• The electrical detection signal is 29 times bigger then the optical one.
• The amplification in the optical detection is much higher then the electrical one
about 6 orders of magnitude.
• The measured beam waist is 2.1 [cm], the theoretical using assumption of ray
optics is 7.4 [mm].
• Measured responsivity, with assumption of uniform power distribution, in the
V
optical detection was about 29 W , theoretical (only the beam waist calculated)
V
was about 9 W .

4.2 Detector Noise

4.2.1 Procedure

Before measures, the following parameters were chosen in the spectrum analyzer,
• Frequency: 100 [kHz]
• Attenuation: 0
• Resolution bandwidth: 10 [ Hz]
• Video bandwidth: 1 [ Hz]
• Reference level: −60 [dBm]
• Marker: noise marker
First, we measured the dark noise of the spectrum analyzer without input. Then,
we connected the photoreceiver (without light in the room) to the power supply and
photoreceiver output to spectrum input, and measured the noise.
Then we turn on the high power supply of GDD. The GDD placed on the output of
the photoreceiver. The current of the GDD set to 6 [mA]. Long pass filter was placed
between GDD and photoreceiver. The noise of the setup measured. In figure 17 we can
see image of the set up and in figure 18 we can see diagram of the set up.

21
 Figure 17: Detector noise measure setup

Figure 18: Detector noise measure setup

4.2.2 Results and discussion

The measured dark voltage of the spectrum analyzer was

22
 h i h i
250 √nV = −118 dBm
Hz Hz

According to [3] it should be −96 [dBm]. h i h i

The dark voltage after connected the photoreceiver was 300 √nV = −117 dBm Hz , then
Hz
the photoreceiver noise is,
h i
Noise photoreceiver = Noisemeasure − Noisespectrum. = 50 √nV
Hz
h i
fW
In comparing to [7] it should be 120 √ . After placing the GDD the measured noise
h i Hz h i
µV µV
was 1 √ , So the noise of the detector is 0.75 √ . Now we can calculate the
Hz Hz
NEP of the system according to (12). NEP for case of optical detection with measured
V
responsivity (29 W ) is,
h i
V√
n 0.75µ W
NEP = = 29 = 25.9n √
R· B Hz

4.2.3 Conclusions

• The measured noise floor of spectrum analyzer h is better

i then manufacture data.
µV
• The measured noise floor of detector was 0.8 √ .
Hz
• Influence of long-pass filter on noise and responsivity need to be tested.
• Most of the noise is due to the GDD light. h i
W
• The calculate NEP according to optical detection measurements is 25.9n √ .
Hz

5 Comparing to experiment in [1]

In this section we will compare our NEP results to [1].

5.1 Detector Noise

5.1.1 Procedure

Experiment setup can be shown in figure 19, 100 GHz source (modulate with a 1 kHz
square wave) radiates to free space, then the beam collimate using OPM and using a
polyethylene (PE) lens, the MMW radiation was focused on the GDD (N523) cross sec-
tion between the electrodes. Large-area balanced photodetector (model PDB210A/M,
from Thorlabs) was used for optical detection, when The GDDs light is directed toward
the photodetector via optical lenses. The output of the photodetector connected to
amplifier. The GDD bias current was 10[mA]. The GDD was on side configuration.

23
 Figure 19: Experiment setup from 2016 Paper [1]

Figure 20: Image of experiment setup from 2016 Paper

5.1.2 Results and discussion

optical
The optical detection signal was Vpeak2peak = 76[mV ]. The noise levels of the detection
h i
system was measured to be about 130 √nV . Where the NEP was calculated to be
h i Hz
nW
about 1.3 √ . We can see in figure 21, right - detected signal from the photodetector
Hz
(yellow) and TTL signal (green), left - optical and electrical detection for different
current of GDD. Where the electrical signal not amplified.

24
 Figure 21: Experiment setup from 2016 Paper [1]

NEP calculation
The input MMW power on the GDD cross section was calculate and measure using
Spiricon camera for measure the beam diameter and Thomas Kitting power meter
to measure beam power the total radiation on the GDD cross section was 800 [µW ],
the output signal from the photodiode was 76 [mV ] (for GDD current of 10 [mA]) so
V
responsivity was 95 W . For the electronic detection the output signal was 25 [mV ] so
V
responsivity was 31 W . For bias current of 6[mA] the optical detection was 43 [mV ],
V
so responsivity was 53.7 W .
The differences from the new measurements
In 2016 measurements, the TTL signal was lower frequency (1kHz compare to 100kHz).
In addition there is lenses for focusing GDD light to photodiode. In table 4 we can see
comparison of detection signals for GDD bias current of 6[mA].

Table 4: comparison

Parameter Optical detection signal Responsivity NEP Noise

h i h i h i
V √W
2016 Paper 43 [mV ] 53.7 W 2.42n 130n √V
h i h Hz i h Hz i
V √W
New measurements 68 [mV ] 29.08 W 25.9n 750n √V
Hz Hz

The measured noise system was much lower in 2016 although bias current was
much higher and low TTL frequency was used to modulate MMW source. Detection
signal in the new measurements was little better it can be according to long pass filter
and different photoreceiver in the new measurements.

5.1.3 Conclusions

• Noise measured value of the system was very low in [1], we need to verify that
measure and understand the reason for that low noise level.
• Focusing more light from the GDD to photodiode should be improve the signal.
• Influence of TTL frequency should be take part in measurements.

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6 Summary
In this experiment we measurement responsivity using power and detection signal
measurements, we also measured the noise of detector for calculate his NEP.
Some points for the future
• arbitrary function generator in the lab limited by frequency of 100 [ MHz] for TTL
wave.
• TTL input of VDI transmitter limited by 250 [ MHz] due to rise and fall time.
• In order to define the beam diameter and find the best SNR location for placing
the GDD, XYZ translator with monitor should add the experiment setup, with
software control. the results can be more detailed and accurate.
• Collecting more light from GDD to photoreceiver will improve the responsivity,
elliptical mirror and lens can do that.
• The values measured in the test instruments changed over time, even with the
averaging of the samples, it was preferable to maintain measurement over time
and to check its distribution, thereby obtaining a better understanding of the
measurement.
• In general, managing the measurements using PC software make the measure-
ments much better and accurate.

References
[1] A. K. A. A. Y. Y. A. Aharon, D. Rozban and N. S. Kopeika, “Detection and upcon-
version of three-dimensional mmw/thz images to the visible,” Photon. Res., vol. 4,
no. 6, pp. 105–117, 2016.

[2] M. T. B.E. Saleh, Fundamentals of Photonics. Wiley, 2007.

[3] FEMTO, “Agilent n9320a spectrum analyzer thechnical overview.”

[4] T. K. Instruments, “Thz absolute power and energy meter system installation and
operation instructions.”

[5] N. S. Kopeika, “Glow dischrage detection of long wavelength electromagnetic

radiation: Cascade ionization process internal signal gain and temporal and spectral
response properties,” IEEE Transacations on Plasma Science, vol. PS-6, pp. 139–157,
1978.

[6] ——, A system engineering approach to imaging. SPIE Optical Engineering Press
Bellingham, 1998.

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[7] A. Technologies, “Low noise 400 khz photoreceiver with si pin photodiode -
datasheet - lca-s-400k-si.”

[8] I. L. Technologies, “N523 standard brightness green neon lamp.”

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