Oscillation element, oscillator, and imaging apparatus using the same

• US 9,197,156 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sekiguchi, Ryota, Okuda, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): KINKEAD, ARNOLD M
• Application Number:
  US13/745,546
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 343/721, 343/701, 343/700.MS, 343/843, 331/107.SL, 331/107.T, 331/52, 331/55, 331/96, 333/250
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/39 for parametric generation or amplification of light, infrared or ultraviolet waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 11/08 Helical antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 5/18 with frequency-determining element comprising distributed inductance and capacitance
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 7/08 being a tunnel diode
• CPC Class Codes: H03B 7/14 active element being semiconductor device
• CPC Class Codes: H03L 7/00 Automatic control of frequency or phase; Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 39/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive element covered by groups H10N30/00 – H10N35/00

Abstract

An oscillation element includes an antenna for oscillation configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves, and multiple negative resistance elements electrically connected to the antenna in parallel, and the multiple negative resistance elements are disposed in only a place where the phases of electromagnetic waves oscillated therefrom are the common phase or opposite phase.

Claims

1. An oscillation element configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an antenna configured to guide electromagnetic waves; and

a plurality of negative resistance elements electrically serially connected to the antenna, and also connected to each other electrically in parallel;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured to oscillate a plurality of electromagnetic waves, and are disposed in positions relative to one another such that the absolute values of phase differences of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate, are 0 or greater and π

/8 or less, or are 7π

/8 or greater and 9π

/8 or less, and

wherein the positions are positions where oscillation frequencies of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate are equal.

2. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein at least one conductor which makes up the antenna is electrically serially connected to the negative resistance elements via a semiconductor layer.

3. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is made up of a pair of conductors, and the plurality of negative resistance elements are apposed in contact with one conductor of this pair.

4. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are disposed in an arc shape.

5. The oscillation element according to claim 4, wherein the arc makes up line symmetry with an axis parallel to the resonance direction of the electromagnetic waves as a boundary.

6. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are mutually equal in the area of a cross section perpendicular to a direction where current of a junction portion making up the corresponding negative resistance element flows.

7. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are linearly disposed.

8. The oscillation element according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements mutually differ in the area of a cross section perpendicular to a direction where current of a junction portion making up the corresponding negative resistance element flows.

9. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein electromagnetic waves including a part of frequency bands of 30 GHz to 30 THz are able to be oscillated.

10. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are disposed in positions relative to one another such that the absolute values of phase differences of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate, are 0 or greater and π

/16 or less, or are 7π

/8 or greater and 9π

/8 or less.

11. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the antenna is a patch antenna.

12. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of negative resistance elements has a cross section perpendicular to a direction where the current of a junction portion which makes up this negative resistance element flows, of which the area is 10 μ

m² or less.

13. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured of silicon;

and

wherein each of the plurality of negative resistance elements has a cross section perpendicular to a direction where the current of a junction portion which makes up this negative resistance element flows, of which the area is 1 μ

m² or less.

14. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured of a compound semiconductor material.

15. The oscillation element according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured of a Group III-V semiconductor material.

16. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are resonant tunneling diodes.

17. The oscillation element according to claim 1, further comprising:

a waveguide which is electrically connected to the antenna to transmit electromagnetic waves;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are connected to the waveguide.

18. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the antenna has a protrusion, and is disposed so that the protrusion is positioned between the plurality of negative resistance elements.

19. An imaging apparatus configured to image an object to be measured using electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves to an object to be measured; and

a detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves transmitted through or reflected at the object to be measured;

wherein the oscillator comprises the oscillation element according to claim 1.

22. The oscillation element according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are disposed in positions relative to one another such that the phase of each of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate, is the same phase in a substantial manner or is the opposite phase in a substantial manner to phases of other of the plurality of electromagnetic waves.

20. An oscillation element configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an antenna configured to guide electromagnetic waves; and

a plurality of negative resistance elements electrically serially connected to the antenna, and also connected to each other electrically in parallel;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements include a first negative resistance element, a second negative resistance element and a third negative resistance element, and

wherein the first negative resistance element is disposed in a position where the phase of an electromagnetic wave which the first negative resistance elements oscillates is the same as the phase of an electromagnetic wave which the third negative resistance element oscillates in a substantial manner, and the second negative resistance element is disposed in a position where the phase of an electromagnetic wave which the second negative resistance elements oscillates is opposite to the phase of the electromagnetic wave that the third negative resistance element oscillates in a substantial manner.

21. The oscillation element according to claim 20, wherein the first negative resistance element is disposed in a position where the absolute values of phase differences between the electromagnetic wave which the first negative resistance element oscillates and the electromagnetic wave which the third negative resistance element oscillates are 0 or greater and π

/8 or less, and

wherein the second negative resistance element is disposed in a position where the absolute values of phase differences between the electromagnetic waves which the second negative resistance elements oscillates and the electromagnetic wave which the third negative resistance element oscillates are 7π

/8 or greater and 9π

/8 or less.

23. An imaging apparatus configured to image an object to be measured using electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an oscillator configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves to an object to be measured; and

a detector configured to detect electromagnetic waves transmitted through or reflected at the object to be measured;

wherein the oscillator comprises the oscillation element according to claim 20.

24. An oscillation element configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an antenna configured to guide electromagnetic waves; and

a plurality of negative resistance elements electrically serially connected to the antenna, and also connected to each other electrically in parallel;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured to oscillate a plurality of electromagnetic waves, and are disposed in positions relative to one another such that the phases of each of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate, is the same phase in a substantial manner or is the opposite phase in a substantial manner to phases of other of the plurality of electromagnetic waves;

wherein the positions are positions where oscillation frequencies of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate are equal, and

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are disposed in an arc shape.

25. An oscillation element configured to oscillate electromagnetic waves, comprising:

an antenna configured to guide electromagnetic waves; and

a plurality of negative resistance elements electrically serially connected to the antenna, and also connected to each other electrically in parallel;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are configured to oscillate a plurality of electromagnetic waves, and are disposed in positions relative to one another such that the phases of each of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate, is the same phase in a substantial manner or is the opposite phase in a substantial manner to phases of other of the plurality of electromagnetic waves;

wherein the positions are positions where oscillation frequencies of the electromagnetic waves which the corresponding negative resistance elements oscillate are equal;

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements are linearly disposed, and

wherein the plurality of negative resistance elements mutually differ in the area of a cross section perpendicular to a direction where current of a junction portion making up the corresponding negative resistance element flows.