IEEE Study Introduces Hybrid Terahertz Oscillator Using Injection-Locked Waveguide Resonant Tunneling Diode and Dual-Wavelength Brillouin Laser

Researchers have presented a hybrid architecture that combines a low-noise dual-wavelength Brillouin laser with resonant tunneling diodes to generate high-power terahertz outputs with reduced phase noise.

Terahertz oscillators that maintain low phase noise are required for applications in radio astronomy and microscale molecular spectroscopy. Different generation methods present specific operational challenges. Dual-wavelength Brillouin lasers deliver extremely low phase noise but provide relatively low usable output power. Resonant tunneling diodes can produce higher output power at terahertz frequencies but show high phase noise.

A study published in the IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics on January 12, 2026, describes a hybrid solution in which a waveguide resonant tunneling diode is injection-locked using a photomixed dual-wavelength Brillouin laser. This configuration aims to achieve both high power and low-phase-noise terahertz signals.

The experimental setup integrates a waveguide resonant tunneling diode with injection-locking components. Researchers first performed a comprehensive analysis of the free-running resonant tunneling diode's phase noise and frequency fluctuations to identify noise sources. They developed a theoretical mode...