Design and Implementation of Efficient Terahertz Waveguides

Supervisory Committee Dr. Thomas Edward Darcie, (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) Supervisor Dr. Jens Bornemann, (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) Departmental Member Dr. Colin Bradley, (Department of Mechanical engineering) Outside Member In this thesis, novel broadband waveguides capable of operating at terahertz (THz) frequencies are introduced. We explore in detail the two-wire waveguide showing that it can have absorption as low as 0.01 cm, fairly good coupling efficiency, and is free from group-velocity dispersion (GVD). We also propose two low loss, planar slot-line structures for guiding THz waves. Rigorous theoretical analyses, numerical simulations, and experimental results are presented to evaluate and verify the performance of the waveguides at THz frequencies. We also present a tapered structure to couple effectively THz waves from a photoconductive source to a two-wire waveguide. Finally, practical structures to realize the first THz low-loss cable using the two-wire waveguide are introduced.