Real-time video signal transmission over a terahertz communication link

Abstract

A 2.4-m communication link operating at 3.9 THz based on a terahertz quantum cascade laser and a terahertz quantum well photodetector (THz QWP) are introduced. The lumped electrical models of THz QWP for small signals are presented. A discussion of the bandwidth limit of the detecting circuit is presented. Using direct on-off-keying modulation and intensity detection, the transmission of digital video signal with a data rate of 2.5 Mb/s is demonstrated. Pseudo-random binary sequences are transmitted to investigate the bit-error rate (BER) at different rates. Result shows the error free transmission when the rate is below 5 Mb/s. © 2013 Chinese Optics Letters.