Abstract

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are crucial in terahertz (THz) technology due to their compact, integrated, efficient, and controllable design. They consolidate multiple active or passive components on a single chip, facilitating lightweight construction and high-speed communication, imaging, and sensing applications. The generic foundry platform using indium phosphide (InP) offers a universal integration platform for THz systems. Optical arrays for THz beamforming can precisely adjust the beam length and integrate both passive and active components, enhancing the THz beamforming performance. Indium phosphide-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offer an ideal solution for achieving precise, high-speed, compact, and integrated terahertz (THz) beamforming, addressing a broad spectrum of application needs. This study employs an InPbased multi-project wafer (MPW) platform for designing a 4-channel optical phase array (OPA) aimed at THz beamforming. The platform offers a range of validated optical components that can be utilized to construct intricate circuits, thereby enhancing the reliability of the system implementation. Moreover, the hybrid integration technology developed by Smart Photonics and Fraunhofer HHI allows for quick prototyping, short iteration cycles, and reduced development time and costs.