Monolithic lithium niobate photonic chip for efficient terahertz-optic modulation and terahertz generation

Yiwen Zhang, Jingwei Yang, Yuansong Zeng, Zhaoxi Chen, Hanke Feng, Sha Zhu, Kam-Man Shum, Chi Hou Chan and Cheng Wang ()
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Yiwen Zhang: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering
Jingwei Yang: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering
Yuansong Zeng: City University of Hong Kong, State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves
Zhaoxi Chen: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering
Hanke Feng: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering
Sha Zhu: Nankai University, Institute of Intelligent Photonics
Kam-Man Shum: City University of Hong Kong, State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves
Chi Hou Chan: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering
Cheng Wang: City University of Hong Kong, Department of Electrical Engineering

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The terahertz (THz) range, bridging microwave and infrared frequencies, enables advanced imaging, sensing, communications, and spectroscopy. Analogous to microwave photonics, terahertz photonics offers a promising optical solution to critical THz challenges-THz-optical interfacing, including THz-optic modulation and optical generation of THz waves. We address these with a monolithic integrated photonic chip enabling efficient THz-optical bidirectional interaction. Leveraging strong second-order optical nonlinearity and optical/THz confinement in thin-film lithium niobate on quartz, the chip supports efficient THz-optic modulation and continuous THz generation up to 500 GHz. The measured continuous wave THz generation efficiency of 4.8 × 10−6/W at 500 GHz also marks a tenfold improvement over existing lithium niobate-based tunable THz generation devices. We further leverage the coherent nature of the optical THz generation process and on-chip modulators to realize 65 GHz high-speed electro-THz modulation. The chip-scale THz-photonic platform enables more compact, efficient, and cost-effective THz systems for communications, sensing, and spectroscopy.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-65293-y

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