THz Frequency Selective Surface Filters for Earth Observation Remote Sensing Instruments

The purpose of this paper is to review recent developments in the design and fabrication of Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) which operate above 300 GHz. These structures act as free space electromagnetic filters and as such provide passive remote sensing instruments with multispectral capability by separating the scene radiation into separate frequency channels. Significant advances in computational electromagnetics, precision micromachining technology and metrology have been employed to create state of the art FSS which enable high sensitivity receivers to detect weak molecular emissions at THz wavelengths. This new class of quasi-optical filter exhibits an insertion loss <;0.3 dB at 700 GHz and can be designed to operate independently of the polarization of the incident signals at oblique incidence. The paper concludes with a brief overview of two major technical advances which will greatly extend the potential applications of THz FSS.

[1]  J L Hesler,et al.  Resonant metal-mesh bandpass filters for the far infrared. , 1994, Applied optics.

[2]  J. C. Vardaxoglou,et al.  Two-layer MM-wave FSS of linear slot elements with low insertion loss , 2001 .

[3]  R. Cahill,et al.  Spatial demultiplexing in the submillimeter wave band using multilayer free-standing frequency selective surfaces , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[4]  Edward A. Parker,et al.  Frequency selective surfaces for millimetre and submillimetre wave quasi optical demultiplexing , 1993 .

[5]  Vincent Fusco,et al.  Polarisation independent bandpass FSS , 2007 .

[6]  Vincent F. Fusco,et al.  Understanding and measuring circular polarization , 2003, IEEE Trans. Educ..

[7]  V Fusco,et al.  325 GHz Single Layer Sub-Millimeter Wave FSS Based Split Slot Ring Linear to Circular Polarization Convertor , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[8]  W. J. Hall,et al.  Technologies for millimetric remote sensing antennas , 1994 .

[9]  R. Cahill,et al.  Liquid Crystal Tunable mm Wave Frequency Selective Surface , 2007, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[10]  Ben A. Munk,et al.  Frequency Selective Surfaces: Theory and Design , 2000 .

[11]  Vincent Fusco,et al.  Measurement of Electromagnetic Properties of Liquid Crystals at 300GHz Using a Tunable FSS , 2010 .

[12]  F GoldsmithP,et al.  Quasioptical techniques offer advantages at millimeter frequencies. , 1983 .

[13]  Ugo Cortesi,et al.  MARSCHALS: development of an airborne millimeter-wave limb sounder , 2001, Remote Sensing.

[14]  Vincent Fusco,et al.  Micromachined 300 GHz high Q resonant slot frequency selective surface filter , 2004 .

[15]  Erich N. Grossman,et al.  Spectral transmittance of lossy printed resonant-grid terahertz bandpass filters , 2000 .

[16]  V. Fusco,et al.  Submillimeter Wave Frequency Selective Surface With Polarization Independent Spectral Responses , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[17]  Peter H. Siegel,et al.  A technique for fabricating free standing electrically thick metallic mesh and parallel wire grids for use as submillimeter wavelength filters and polarizers , 1990, IEEE International Digest on Microwave Symposium.

[18]  R. J. Martin,et al.  Quasi-optical antennas for radiometric remote-sensing , 1996 .

[19]  Edward A. Parker,et al.  Influence of substrate loss tangent on performance of multilayer submillimetre-wave FSS , 1995 .

[20]  Edward A. Parker,et al.  Performance of millimetre-wave frequency selective surfaces in large incident angle quasioptical systems , 1992 .

[21]  Edward A. Parker,et al.  Frequency selective surface design for submillimetric demultiplexing , 1994 .

[22]  M. Bozzi,et al.  Design and Testing of Frequency-Selective Surfaces on Silicon Substrates for Submillimeter-Wave Applications , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.

[23]  Vincent Fusco,et al.  Comparison of frequency-selective screen-based linear to circular split-ring polarisation convertors , 2010 .

[24]  V. Fusco,et al.  Recent advances in submillimetre wave FSS technology for passive remote sensing instruments , 2010, Proceedings of the Fourth European Conference on Antennas and Propagation.