Abstract: Femto-satellites are very small satellites that can be deployed in constellations from a larger mothership satellite for distributed measurement. They are too small to accommodate the GNSS receivers that many satellites use for navigation, but they can be located with an electromagnetic beam from the mothership satellite. The mothership satellite scans this beam across a constellation of femto-satellites. When the beam scans across a particular femto-satellite, the femto-satellite transmits an acknowledgement to the mothership satellite, e.g., by retroreflecting the beam or via a separate radio link. The beam can be modulated with commands for the femto-satellite, such as to make a measurement or transmit previously acquired data, as well with commands for determining the femto-satellite's location, such as a time stamp or beam pointing information.

Abstract: A coupler comprising a silicon substrate with one or more double slot radiators configured to transmit or receive an RF signal, a slot balun circuit configured to isolate the RF signal, and a grounded coplanar waveguide configured to propagate the RF signal in a horizontal direction. The coupler can be included on an integrated chip with a second coupler and the chip can be positioned over two waveguides such that each coupler is positioned within the center of each waveguide aperture.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a molecular clock includes a waveguide gas cell containing gas molecules having a rotational spectral line with a first frequency a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to generate a clock signal, a transmitter referenced to the clock signal to generate a probing signal for transmission through the waveguide gas cell, and a receiver to receive the probing signal transmitted through the waveguide gas cell and interacting with gas molecules. The receiver can include a filter circuit configured to filter out even harmonic components from the received signal and can further include a lock-in detector to generate an error signal indicating an offset between the first frequency and the second frequency. The error signal is fed back to control generation of the VCO clock signal.

Abstract: A transceiver system is configured to concurrently send TX signals and receive RX signals on an antenna system in the same frequency band. A bi-directional frequency converter circuit modulates the TX signals and RX signals by a modulation frequency. The modulated TX signals and RX are frequency shifted so that they have different frequencies that are not in the same frequency band. For example, the TX signal may be shifted to a higher frequency and the RX signal may be shifted to a lower frequency. Filters can then be used to isolate the TX signal and the RX signal for transmission and/or processing.

Abstract: A coupler comprising a silicon substrate with one or more double slot radiators configured to transmit or receive an RF signal, a slot balun circuit configured to isolate the RF signal, and a grounded coplanar waveguide configured to propagate the RF signal in a horizontal direction. The coupler can be included on an integrated chip with a second coupler and the chip can be positioned over two waveguides such that each coupler is positioned within the center of each waveguide aperture.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a molecular clock includes: a waveguide gas cell containing gas molecules having a rotational spectral line with a first frequency; a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) to generate a clock signal; a transmitter referenced to the clock signal to generate a probing signal for transmission through the waveguide gas cell; and a receiver to receive the probing signal transmitted through the waveguide gas cell and interacting with gas molecules. The receiver can include: a filter circuit configured to filter out even harmonic components from the received signal; and a lock-in detector to generate an error signal indicating an offset between the first frequency and the second frequency, wherein the error signal is fed back to control generation of the VCO clock signal.

Abstract: The Zeeman shift of electronic spins in nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond has been exploited in lab-scale instruments for ultra-high-resolution, vector-based magnetic sensing. A quantum magnetometer in CMOS utilizing a diamond-nanocrystal layer with NVs or NV-doped bulk diamond on a chip-integrated system provides vector-based magnetic sensing in a compact package. The system performs two functions for the quantum magnetometry: (1) strong generation and efficient delivery of microwave for quantum-state control and (2) optical filtering/detection of spin-dependent fluorescence for quantum-state readout. The microwave delivery can be accomplished with a loop inductor or array of wires integrated into the chip below the nanodiamond layer or diamond. And the wire array can also suppress excitation light using a combination of plasmonic and (optionally) Talbot effects.

Abstract: A molecular clock which utilizes a rotational spectrum of gaseous molecules in a sub-THz region for clock stabilization is described. The molecular clock has a fast start-up characteristic and is also robust against mechanical vibration or variation of electromagnetic field. Also described is a chip-scale implementation of a molecular clock. In an embodiment, a molecular clock chipset only consumes a DC power of 66 mW. While providing a highly stable, compact and energy efficient time generator of portable devices.

Abstract: A high-power transmitter with a fully-integrated phase Iocking capability is disclosed and characterized. Also provided herein is a THz radiator structure based on a return-path gap coupler, which enables the high-power generation of the disclosed transmitter, and a self-feeding oscillator suitable for use with the transmitter.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a fully integrated broadband interconnect. The system comprises a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, and a coupler structure to connect the first and second integrated circuits, where the coupler structure includes a base portion and a top portion that are connected by two vertical walls. The top portion has a gap that increases a strength of a transverse electric field across the gap when the coupler structure is operating in an odd higher order mode that is horizontally polarized, where the coupler structure is full of a dielectric material, and where the cross-sectional width of the coupler structure is tapered in a direction of wave propagation. The system further comprises a dielectric waveguide attached to the top portion of the coupler structure, where the dielectric waveguide supports the odd higher order mode and an even higher order mode.

Abstract: The Zeeman shift of electronic spins in nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond has been exploited in lab-scale instruments for ultra-high-resolution, vector-based magnetic sensing. A quantum magnetometer in CMOS utilizing a diamond-nanocrystal layer with NVs or NV-doped bulk diamond on a chip-integrated system provides vector-based magnetic sensing in a compact package. The system performs two functions for the quantum magnetometry: (1) strong generation and efficient delivery of microwave for quantum-state control and (2) optical filtering/detection of spin-dependent fluorescence for quantum-state readout. The microwave delivery can be accomplished with a loop inductor or array of wires integrated into the chip below the nanodiamond layer or diamond. And the wire array can also suppress excitation light using a combination of plasmonic and (optionally) Talbot effects.

Abstract: A molecular clock which utilizes a rotational spectrum of gaseous molecules in a sub-THz region for clock stabilization is described. The molecular clock has a fast start-up characteristic and is also robust against mechanical vibration or variation of electromagnetic field. Also described is a chip-scale implementation of a molecular clock. In an embodiment, a molecular clock chipset only consumes a DC power of 66 mW. While providing a highly stable, compact and energy efficient time generator of portable devices.

Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a fully integrated broadband interconnect. The system comprises a first integrated circuit, a second integrated circuit, and a coupler structure to connect the first and second integrated circuits, where the coupler structure includes a base portion and a top portion that are connected by two vertical walls. The top portion has a gap that increases a strength of a transverse electric field across the gap when the coupler structure is operating in an odd higher order mode that is horizontally polarized, where the coupler structure is full of a dielectric material, and where the cross-sectional width of the coupler structure is tapered in a direction of wave propagation. The system further comprises a dielectric waveguide attached to the top portion of the coupler structure, where the dielectric waveguide supports the odd higher order mode and an even higher order mode.

Abstract: A high-power transmitter with a fully-integrated phase Iocking capability is disclosed and characterized. Also provided herein is a THz radiator structure based on a return-path gap coupler, which enables the high-power generation of the disclosed transmitter, and a self-feeding oscillator suitable for TS use with the transmitter.

Abstract: A high-power broadband radiation system and method are disclosed. The system includes an array of harmonic oscillators with mutual coupling through quadrature oscillators. Based on a self-feeding structure, the presently disclosed harmonic oscillators simultaneously achieve optimum conditions for fundamental oscillation and 2nd-harmonic generation. The signals at the second harmonic radiate through on-chip slot antennas, and are in-phase combined inside a hemispheric silicon lens attached at the backside of the chip. In some embodiments, the radiation of the system can also be modulated by narrow pulses generated on chip, thereby achieving broad radiation bandwidth.

Abstract: A high-power broadband radiation system and method are disclosed. The system includes an array of harmonic oscillators with mutual coupling through quadrature oscillators. Based on a self-feeding structure, the presently disclosed harmonic oscillators simultaneously achieve optimum conditions for fundamental oscillation and 2nd-harmonic generation. The signals at the second harmonic radiate through on-chip slot antennas, and are in-phase combined inside a hemispheric silicon lens attached at the backside of the chip. In some embodiments, the radiation of the system can also be modulated by narrow pulses generated on chip, thereby achieving broad radiation bandwidth.