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Author Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Lobanov, Y.; Kaurova, N.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G.
Title Gap frequency and photon absorption in a hot electron bolometer Type Conference Article
Year 2016 Publication Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 121
Keywords NbN HEB; Si membrane
Abstract (down) The superconducting energy gap is a crucial parameter of a superconductor when used in mixing applications. In the case of the SIS mixer, the mixing process is efficient for frequencies below the energy gap, whereas, in the case of the HEB mixer, the mixing process is most efficient at frequencies above the gap, where photon absorption takes place more readily. We have investigated the photon absorption phenomenon around the gap frequency of HEB mixers based on NbN films deposited on silicon membranes. Apart from studying the pumped I-V curves of HEB devices, we have also probed them with microwave radiation, as previously described [1]. At frequencies far below the gap frequency, the pumped I-V curves show abrupt switching between the superconducting and resistive states. For the NbN HEB mixers we tested, which have critical temperatures of ~9 K, this is true for frequencies below about 400 GHz. As the pump frequency is increased beyond 400 GHz, the resistive state extends towards zero bias and at some point a small region of negative differential resistance appears close to zero bias. In this region, the microwave probe reveals that the device impedance is changing randomly with time. As the pump frequency is further increased, this random impedance change develops into relaxation oscillations, which can be observed by the demodulation of the reflected microwave probe. Initially, these oscillations take the form of several frequencies grouped together under an envelope. As we approach the gap frequency, the multiple frequency relaxation oscillations coalesce into a single frequency of a few MHz. The resultant square-wave nature of the oscillation is a clear indication that the device is in a bi-stable state, switching between the superconducting and normal state. Above the gap frequency, it is possible to obtain a pumped I-V curve with no negative differential resistance above a threshold pumping level. Below this pumping level, the device demonstrates bi-stability, and regular relaxation oscillation at a few MHz is observed as a function of pump power. The threshold pumping level is clearly related to the amount of power absorbed by the device and its phonon cooling. From the above experiment, we can derive the gap frequency of the NbN film, which is 585 GHz for our 6 μm thin silicon membrane-based device. We also confirm that the HEB mixer is not an efficient photon absorber for radiation below the gap frequency. 1. A. Trifonov et al., “Probing the stability of HEB mixers with microwave injection”, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., vol. 25, no. 3, June 2015.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1204
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Author Wei, Jian; Olaya, David; Karasik, Boris S.; Pereverzev, Sergey V.; Sergeev, Andrei V.; Gershenson, Michael E.
Title Ultrasensitive hot-electron nanobolometers for terahertz astrophysics Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Nature Nanotechnology Abbreviated Journal Nature Nanotech
Volume 3 Issue 8 Pages 496-500
Keywords HEB, Ti/NbN, single terahertz photons, detection
Abstract (down) The submillimetre or terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum contains approximately half of the total luminosity of the Universe and 98% of all the photons emitted since the Big Bang. This radiation is strongly absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere, so space-based terahertz telescopes are crucial for exploring the evolution of the Universe. Thermal emission from the primary mirrors in these telescopes can be reduced below the level of the cosmic background by active cooling, which expands the range of faint objects that can be observed. However, it will also be necessary to develop bolometers – devices for measuring the energy of electromagnetic radiation—with sensitivities that are at least two orders of magnitude better than the present state of the art. To achieve this sensitivity without sacrificing operating speed, two conditions are required. First, the bolometer should be exceptionally well thermally isolated from the environment;

second, its heat capacity should be sufficiently small. Here we demonstrate that these goals can be achieved by building a superconducting hot-electron nanobolometer. Its design eliminates the energy exchange between hot electrons and the leads by blocking electron outdiffusion and photon emission. The thermal conductance between hot electrons and the thermal bath, controlled by electron–phonon interactions, becomes very small at low temperatures (10-16 WK-1 at 40 mK). These devices, with a heat capacity of 10-19 J K-1, are sufficiently sensitive to detect single terahertz photons in submillimetre astronomy and other applications based on quantum calorimetry and photon counting.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1748-3387 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 576
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Author Henrich, D.; Dorner,S.; Hofherr, M.; Il'in, K.; Semenov, A.; Heintze, E.; Scheffler, M.; Dressel, M.; Siegel, M.
Title Broadening of hot-spot response spectrum of superconducting NbN nanowire single-photon detector with reduced nitrogen content Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 112 Issue Pages
Keywords SSPD, SNSPD, magnetron sputtering, spectrum, NbN film, nitrogen concentration
Abstract (down) The spectral detection efficiency and the dark count rate of superconducting nanowire

single-photon detectors (SNSPD) have been studied systematically on detectors made from thin

NbN films with different chemical compositions. Reduction of the nitrogen content in the 4 nm

thick NbN films results in a decrease of the dark count rates more than two orders of magnitude

and in a red shift of the cut-off wavelength of the hot-spot SNSPD response. The observed

phenomena are explained by an improvement of uniformity of NbN films that has been confirmed

by a decrease of resistivity and an increase of the ratio of the measured critical current to the

depairing current. The latter factor is considered as the most crucial for both the cut-off

wavelength and the dark count rates of SNSPD. Based on our results we propose a set of criteria

for material properties to optimize SNSPD in the infrared spectral region. VC 2012 American

Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4757625]
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Corporate Author D. Henrich, S. Dorner, M. Hofherr, K. Il'in, A. Semenov, E. Heintze, M. Scheffler, M. Dressel, M. Siegel Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language English Summary Language Original Title Broadening of hot-spot response spectrum of superconducting NbN nanowire single-photon detector with reduced nitrogen content
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ seleznev @ Serial 877
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Author Il’in, K. S.; Milostnaya, I. I.; Verevkin, A. A.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Gershenzon, E. M.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Ultimate quantum efficiency of a superconducting hot-electron photodetector Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 73 Issue 26 Pages 3938-3940
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract (down) The quantum efficiency and current and voltage responsivities of fast hot-electron photodetectors, fabricated from superconducting NbN thin films and biased in the resistive state, have been shown to reach values of 340, 220 A/W, and 4×104 V/W,

respectively, for infrared radiation with a wavelength of 0.79 μm. The characteristics of the photodetectors are presented within the general model, based on relaxation processes in the nonequilibrium electron heating of a superconducting thin film. The observed, very high efficiency and sensitivity of the superconductor absorbing the photon are explained by the high multiplication rate of quasiparticles during the avalanche breaking of Cooper pairs.
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Corporate Author Thesis
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1579
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Author Lindgren, M.; Currie, M.; Zeng, W.-S.; Sobolewski, R.; Cherednichenko, S.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Picosecond response of a superconducting hot-electron NbN photodetector Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Supercond.
Volume 6 Issue 7-9 Pages 423-428
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract (down) The ps optical response of ultrathin NbN photodetectors has been studied by electro-optic sampling. The detectors were fabricated by patterning ultrathin (3.5 nm thick) NbN films deposited on sapphire by reactive magnetron sputtering into either a 5×10 μm2 microbridge or 25 1 μm wide, 5 μm long strips connected in parallel. Both structures were placed at the center of a 4 mm long coplanar waveguide covered with Ti/Au. The photoresponse was studied at temperatures ranging from 2.15 K to 10 K, with the samples biased in the resistive (switched) state and illuminated with 100 fs wide laser pulses at 395 nm wavelength. At T=2.15 K, we obtained an approximately 100 ps wide transient, which corresponds to a NbN detector response time of 45 ps. The photoresponse can be attributed to the nonequilibrium electron heating effect, where the incident radiation increases the temperature of the electron subsystem, while the phonons act as the heat sink. The high-speed response of NbN devices makes them an excellent choice for an optoelectronic interface for superconducting digital circuits, as well as mixers for the terahertz regime. The multiple-strip detector showed a linear dependence on input optical power and a responsivity =3.9 V/W.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0964-1807 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1584
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Author Smirnov, K.; Divochiy, A.; Vakhtomin, Y.; Morozov, P.; Zolotov, P.; Antipov, A.; Seleznev, V.
Title NbN single-photon detectors with saturated dependence of quantum efficiency Type Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Supercond. Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 035011 (1 to 8)
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract (down) The possibility of creating NbN superconducting single-photon detectors with saturated dependence of quantum efficiency (QE) versus normalized bias current was investigated. It was shown that the saturation increases for the detectors based on finer films with a lower value of Rs300/Rs20. The decreasing of Rs300/Rs20 was related to the increasing influence of quantum corrections to conductivity of superconductors and, in turn, to the decrease of the electron diffusion coefficient. The best samples have a constant value of system QE 94% at Ib/Ic ~ 0.8 and wavelength 1310 nm.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-2048 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1232
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Author Okunev, 0.; Dzardranov, A.; Gol'tsman, G.; Gershenzon, E.
Title Performances of hot—electron superconducting mixer for frequencies less than the gap energy: NbN mixer for 100 GHz operation Type Conference Article
Year 1995 Publication Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 247-253
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract (down) The possibilities to improve the parameters of the 100 GHz NbN HEB superconducting waveguide mixers have been studied. The device consists of a signal strip 1 gm wide by 2 Am long made of 40 A thick NbN film. The best operation point was found at 5 K, where the mixer bandwidth made up 1.5-2 GHz and the total loss diminished down to 8 dB. The critical current density has been increased up to " 40 6 A/cm 2 , the noise temperature of the receiver (DSB) has reduced down to 450 K and the local oscillator power has decreased down to -.4).1 mcV.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1625
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Author Yagoubov, Pavel; Kroug, Matthias; Merkel, Harald; Kollberg, Erik; Schubert, Josef; Hübers, Heinz-Wilhelm
Title NbN hot electron bolometric mixers at frequencies between 0.7 and 3.1 THz Type Journal Article
Year 1999 Publication Supercond. Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume 12 Issue 11 Pages 989-991
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract (down) The performance of NbN-based phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric (HEB) quasioptical mixers is investigated in the 0.7-3.1 THz frequency range. The devices are made from a 3.5-4 nm thick NbN film on high resistivity Si and integrated with a planar spiral antenna on the same substrate. The length of the bolometer microbridge is 0.1-0.2 µm; the width is 1-2 µm. The best results of the DSB receiver noise temperature measured at 1.5 GHz intermediate frequency are: 800 K at 0.7 THz, 1100 K at 1.6 THz, 2000 K at 2.5 THz and 4200 K at 3.1 THz. The measurements were performed with a far infrared laser as the local oscillator (LO) source. The estimated LO power requirement is less than 500 nW at the receiver input. First results on spiral antenna polarization measurements are reported.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-2048 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 295
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Author Yagoubov, P.; Kroug, M.; Merkel, H.; Kollberg, E.; Hübers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Schwaab, G.; Gol'tsman, G.; Gershenzon, E.
Title NbN hot electron bolometric mixers at frequencies between 0.7 and 3.1 THz Type Conference Article
Year 1999 Publication Proc. 10th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 10th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 238-246
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract (down) The performance of NbN based phonon-cooled Hot Electron Bolometric (HEB) quasioptical mixers is investigated in the 0.7-3.1 THz frequency range. The devices are made from a 3.5-4 nm thick NbN film on high resistivity Si and integrated with a planar spiral antenna on the same substrate. The length of the bolometer microbridge is 0.1- 0.2 gm, the width is 1-2 gm. The best results of the DSB receiver noise temperature measured at 1.5 GHz intermediate frequency are: 800 K at 0.7 THz, 1100 K at 1.6 THz, 2000 K at 2.5 THz and 4200 K at 3.1 THz. The measurements were performed with a far infrared laser as the local oscillator (LO) source. The estimated LO power required is less than 500 nW at the receiver input. First results on the spiral antenna polarization measurements are reported.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1575
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Author Yagoubov, P.; Kroug, M.; Merkel, H.; Kollberg, E.; Schubert, J.; Hubers, H.-W.; Schwaab, G.; Gol'tsman, G.; Gershenzon, E.
Title Heterodyne measurements of a NbN superconducting hot electron mixer at terahertz frequencies Type Journal Article
Year 1999 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 9 Issue 2 Pages 3757-3760
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract (down) The performance of a NbN based phonon-cooled Hot Electron Bolometric (HEB) quasioptical mixer is investigated in the 0.65-3.12 THz frequency range. The device is made from a 3 nm thick NbN film on high resistivity Si and integrated with a planar spiral antenna on the same substrate. The in-plane dimensions of the bolometer strip are 0.2/spl times/2 /spl mu/m. The best results of the DSB noise temperature at 1.5 GHz IF frequency obtained with one device are: 1300 K at 650 GHz, 4700 K at 2.5 THz and 10000 K at 3.12 THz. The measurements were performed at 4.5 K ambient temperature. The amount of local oscillator (LO) power absorbed in the bolometer is about 100 nW. The mixer is linear to within 1 dB compression up to the signal level 10 dB below that of the LO. The intrinsic single sideband conversion gain measured at 650 GHz is -9 dB, the total conversion gain is -14 dB.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1569
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