News Release

Research paper on compact terahertz device developed by Canon wins Best Paper Award from world-renowned academic institute for microwaves

TOKYO, July 4, 2024—Canon Inc. announced today that it became the first Japanese company to receive a "Best Paper Award" from IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, a journal dedicated to terahertz waves and relevant technology published by IEEE MTT-S¹ (IEEE Microwave Theory and Technology Society), which is a world-renowned academic institute concerning the field of microwaves. The "Best Paper Award" is one of the IEEE MTT-S Awards established to commend technological excellence and successful contributions to the field of high-frequency electric waves including radio waves and microwaves.

IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology is a peer-reviewed journal that features publications by the world’s top researchers and engineers in the field of microwaves. The Best Paper Award examines all articles published in IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology prior to the year under evaluation and selects them based on evaluation standards such as technological excellence, significance of contribution, and presentation. This year, the award was given to a research paper on a compact terahertz device² developed by Canon that had been published in 2022. The award recipients were bestowed with a plaque at a banquet during the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) held in Washington, D.C. on June 19, 2024 (local time).

Terahertz waves are a type of electromagnetic wave that possess a wavelength between that of electric waves and light while possessing characteristics of both. Compared with X-rays, they are ideal for scanning through the surface of objects without causing exposure to radiation. For this reason, the technology is expected to be utilized for security purposes, and there is also ongoing experimentation towards the use of terahertz waves in next-generation 6G signal transmission systems. The terahertz device developed by Canon, which is approximately 1000x smaller³ than conventional devices, is capable of transmitting terahertz waves farther and with greater intensity toward the intended direction. Going forward, Canon will continue to develop technology that will contribute to the transformation and further development of society.

Publication: IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology, Volume 12, Issue 5, September 2022

Research paper title: “A High-Power Terahertz Source Over 10 mW at 0.45 THz Using an Active Antenna Array With Integrated Patch Antennas and Resonant-Tunneling Diodes”

Link to publication: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9790085

• 1

  A specialized committee (MTT-S: Microwave Theory and Technology Society) within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) concerning theories and technologies involving microwaves

• 2

  See relevant news release published on January 16, 2023: https://global.canon/en/news/2023/20230116.html

• 3

  Comparison of device volume between Canon device and conventional devices such as those using antennas or frequency multipliers and conversion lenses (Based on a survey by Canon)