While in most existing terahertz communications systems, the THz carrier wave is transmitted via free-space channels, the THz waveguide-based integrated solutions can be of great utility at both the transmitter and receiver ends, thus simplifying the miniaturization and mass production of cost-effective THz communications systems. Here we present a new type of modular THz integrated circuits based on the two-wire plasmonic waveguide components fabricated using a combination of stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, wet chemistry metal deposition, and hot stamping techniques. Particular attention is paid to the design of the optical circuits based on the two-wire waveguides suspended inside a protective micro-sized enclosure. Such waveguides feature low transmission and bending losses, as well as low dispersion. Using such waveguides as basic building blocks, we then demonstrate several key optical subcomponents, such as low-loss broadband ${2}\times {1}\;{\rm THz}$ couplers that use two coalescing two-wire waveguide bends, as well as broadband waveguide Bragg gratings that feature a paper sheet with a periodic sequence of metal strips inserted into the air gap of a two-wire waveguide. Finally, using these developed subcomponents, a two-channel add-drop multiplexer is demonstrated to operate at 140 GHz. We believe that the reported micro-encapsulated two-wire waveguide-based modular platform can have a strong impact on the field of THz signal processing and sensing due to the ease of device fabrication and handling, high degree of reconfigurability, and high potential for real-time tunability.

中文翻译：

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用于太赫兹通信的高度可重构等离激元电路的增材制造

尽管在大多数现有的太赫兹通信系统中，太赫兹载波是通过自由空间信道传输的，但基于太赫兹波导的集成解决方案在发送器和接收器端都可以发挥很大的作用，从而简化了小型化和批量生产的成本。有效的太赫兹通信系统。在这里，我们介绍一种基于两线等离子体激元波导组件的新型模块化THz集成电路，该组件使用立体光刻（SLA）3D打印，湿法化学金属沉积和热压印技术组合而成。基于悬挂在保护性微型外壳内的两线波导的光路设计要特别注意。这样的波导具有低传输和弯曲损耗以及低色散的特征。$ {2} \ times {1} \; {\ rm THz} $耦合器，该耦合器使用两个聚结的两线波导弯曲，以及宽带波导布拉格光栅，其特征是在纸张中插入了具有周期性序列的金属条的纸张两线制波导的气隙。最后，使用这些开发的子组件，证明了两个通道的分插复用器可以在140 GHz下运行。我们相信，由于设备制造和处理的简便性，高度可重构性以及真正的潜力，报道的基于微囊封两线波导的模块化平台可能会对THz信号处理和传感领域产生重大影响。时间可调性。