Resonant tunneling diode-integrated terahertz transceiver module for wireless communications
Abstract
Terahertz bands enable ultra-broadband wireless communications but require compact, low-cost, and efficient transceiver modules. Conventional implementations based on metallic waveguides or silicon lenses suffer from high loss, bulkiness, and fabrication complexity. Here, we present a compact terahertz transceiver module enabled by a resonant tunneling diode (RTD) integrated with a photonic-electronic antenna chain. The RTD on InP is coupled to a modified Vivaldi antenna and an all-silicon effective-medium-clad waveguide, terminating in a rod antenna interfaced with a 3D-printed cyclic olefin copolymer lens. This architecture enables broadband directive radiation without matching networks or anti-reflection coatings. Packaged in a low-cost 3D-printed PLA enclosure, the module achieves realized gains of 28-33 dBi (E11x) and 30-33 dBi (E11y) across 220-330 GHz. As a receiver, it exhibits a noise voltage density of 5.6 x 10^-9 V/sqrt(Hz), a minimum noise equivalent power of 1.8 pW/sqrt(Hz), and an average responsivity of 6.8 kV/W. It supports error-free transmission up to 30 Gbit/s (OOK) and 80 Gbit/s (16-QAM) over 10 cm, and enables real-time uncompressed high-definition video streaming over 1 m. As a transmitter, it achieves error-free OOK transmission up to 12 Gbit/s at 332 GHz. These results demonstrate a promising terahertz transceiver architecture for 6G systems.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2603.20651,
title = {Resonant tunneling diode-integrated terahertz transceiver module for wireless communications},
author = {Weijie Gao and Nguyen H. Ngo and Daiki Ichikawa and Mingxiang Li and Yuta Inose and Yuki Morita and Hidemasa Yamane and Yoshiharu Yamada and Shuichi Murakami and Yosuke Nishida and Tadao Nagatsuma and Withawat Withayachumnankul and Masayuki Fujita},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.20651},
year = {2026}
}