Abstract: Millimetron (official RosKosmos name ”Spectrum-M”) is a part of ambitious program called Spectrum intended to cover the whole electromagnetic spectrum with world class facilities. It is an approved mission included in Russian space program with the launch date in 2017..2019 time frame. The Millimetron satellite has a deployable 12 m diameter antenna with inner solid 4..6 m dish and a rim of petals. The mirror design is largely based on Radioastron mission concept that will be launched in 2009. If the antenna is passively cooled by radiation to open space, it would operate at approx. 50 K surface temperature, due to presence of a deployable three layer radiation screen. As a goal, there is a consideration of active cooling of antenna to 4 K, but this will depend on resources available to the project. Lagrangian libration point L2 considered for Millimetron orbit. There are four groups of scientific instruments envisioned: SVLBI instruments Space-Earth VLBI. It will allow to achieve unprecedented spatial resolution. Millimetron mission will attempt to achieve a mm/submm wave SVLBI. For that purpose, a SVLBI instrument covering selected ALMA bands and a standard VLBI band is envisioned, accompanied by a maser reference oscillator, a data digitizing and memory system, and a high speed data transmission link to ground. The ALMA bands can be extended to cover water lines if detector technology allows. Type of detector – heterodyne. Photometer/polarimeter. Recent progress in direct detector cameras with low spectral resolution, allows to propose a large format (5-10 kPixel) photometer camera on board of Millimetron mission. This camera can cover 0.1 – 2 THz region (with adequate amount of pixels per each subband). Wide band moderate resolution imaging spectrometer. Wide band moderate R = 1000 imaging spectrometer type instrument similar to SPICA SAFARI is planned, taking advantage of large cooled dish. It will cover the adequate spectral range allowable by antenna and will also work below 1 THz, as no ground instrument can have a cold main dish. High resolution spectrometer. For high resolution spectroscopy a heterodyne instrument is proposed, conceptually similar to HIFI on Herschel. This instrument will cover interesting frequency spots in 0.5..4 THz frequency range (using central part of antenna for higher frequency). It is sure that advances in LO and mixer technology will allow this frequency coverage.

Abstract: Modern microchip-scale transceivers are capable of transmitting data at rates of the order of several terabits per second. In this regard, there is an urgent need to improve the interfaces connecting the chips and extend the bandpass of the interconnections. We use an approach combining silicon nitride nanophotonic circuits with 3D polymer waveguides fabricated by direct laser writing, which can be used as photonic interconnections or photonic wire bonds (PWB). These structures are designed, simulated, fabricated, and optimized for better light transmission at the telecommunication wavelength. An important part of this work is the study of the telecom signal transmission in a 3D polymer waveguide connecting two silicon nitride facing tapers. Two cases are considered: the tapers are one opposite the other or misaligned. Initially, the PWB shape was chosen to be Gaussian and then optimized: the top was circle-shaped and with the lower part still being Gaussian. Transmission losses were measured for both types of waveguides with different shapes. The idea of an optical multi-level crossing for photonic integrated circuits is also suggested as a solution to the problem of interconnections within a single chip.

Abstract: New demonstrations for low temperature physics courses are described. Two transparent Dewar vacuum flasks fitting one inside the other with the external flask for nitrogen and the internal flask for helium are used. The helium temperature can be regulated in the 4.2 to 1.6 K range and the effects of reducing helium to the superfluid state at 2.17 K can be shown: boiling abruptly stops and superfluid flow appears. In order to show the electric and magnetic characteristics of superconductivity, a superconducting NbTi solenoid containing nonsuperconducting wire and germanium and superconducting Nb materials with different critical temperatures is placed in the helium refrigerant vessel. The fall of the resistance at the critical temperatures can be shown. In order to show magnetic field and superconductive current flow properties a shunt of superconductive material is connected in parallel to the coil and is enclosed in a teflon container with a heater which can vary its temperature. When it is heated and not superconductive, magnetic field effects can be demonstrated and when it is unheated and superconducting a continuous current can be demonstrated.

Abstract: Plasmons, collective oscillations of electron systems, can efficiently couple light and electric current, and thus can be used to create sub-wavelength photodetectors, radiation mixers, and on-chip spectrometers. Despite considerable effort, it has proven challenging to implement plasmonic devices operating at terahertz frequencies. The material capable to meet this challenge is graphene as it supports long-lived electrically tunable plasmons. Here we demonstrate plasmon-assisted resonant detection of terahertz radiation by antenna-coupled graphene transistors that act as both plasmonic Fabry-Perot cavities and rectifying elements. By varying the plasmon velocity using gate voltage, we tune our detectors between multiple resonant modes and exploit this functionality to measure plasmon wavelength and lifetime in bilayer graphene as well as to probe collective modes in its moire minibands. Our devices offer a convenient tool for further plasmonic research that is often exceedingly difficult under non-ambient conditions (e.g. cryogenic temperatures) and promise a viable route for various photonic applications.

Abstract: Purpose
An adequate water balance (hydration extent) is one of the basic factors of normal eye function, including its external shells – the cornea and the sclera. THz systems creating images in reflected beams are likely to become ideal instruments of noninvasive testing of corneal and scleral hydration degree as THz radiation is highly sensitive to water content. The paper aims at studying the transmittance and reflectance spectra of the cornea and the sclera of rabbit and human eyes, as well as those of the whole rabbit eye, in the frequency range of 0.13–0.32 THz.
Methods
The experiments were carried out on 3 corneas and 3 rabbit scleras, 2 whole rabbit eyes, and 3 human healthy adult scleras using a specially developed THz system based on reliable and easy‐to‐use continuous wave sources: a backward‐wave oscillator and an avalanche transit‐time diode.
Results
The transmittance spectra of the cornea and the sclera and the dependence of the reflection coefficient of these tissues in THz range on water percentage content were determined. Comparison of the rabbit cornea hydrated from 73.2% to 76.3% concentration by mass demonstrated an approximately linear relationship between THz reflectivity and water concentration. The decrease of free water concentration by 1% leads to a drop of the reflectance coefficient by 13%. The parameters studied displayed noticeable differences between the sclera and the cornea of rabbits and between rabbit sclera and human sclera.
Conclusions
Preliminary results demonstrate that the proposed technique, based on continuous THz radiation, may be used to create a device for noninvasive testing of corneal and scleral hydration, which has good potential of wide‐scale practical application.
The work was supported by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (grant No.15‐29‐03843)

Abstract: Radio-frequency modulated terahertz (THz) emission power from weakly-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice (SL) has been increased by parallel connection of several SL mesas. Each SL mesa is a self-oscillator with its own oscillation frequency and mode. In coupled non-identical SL mesas biased at different voltages within the hysteresis loop the chaotic, quasiperiodic and frequency-locked modes of self-oscillations of current arise. THz emission was detected when three connected in parallel SL mesas were biased into the frequency-locked and quasiperiodic modes of self-oscillations of current, while in the chaotic mode of those it falls to the noise level.

Abstract: Recently bright-light control of the SSPD has been demonstrated. This attack employed a “backdoor” in the detector biasing scheme. Under bright-light illumination, SSPD becomes resistive and remains “latched” in the resistive state even when the light is switched off. While the SSPD is latched, Eve can simulate SSPD single-photon response by sending strong light pulses, thus deceiving Bob. We developed the experimental setup for investigation of a dependence on latching threshold of SSPD on optical pulse length and peak power. By knowing latching threshold it is possible to understand essential requirements for development countermeasures against blinding attack on quantum key distribution system with SSPDs.

Abstract: Results of an experimental study of the noise temperature (Tn) and noise bandwidth (NBW) of the superconductor NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer as a function of its temperature (Tb) and NbN bridge length are presented. It was determined that the NBW of the mixer is significantly wider at temperatures close to the critical ones (Tc) than are values measured at 4.2 K. The NBW of the mixer measured at the heterodyne frequency of 2.5 THz at temperature Tb close to Tc was ~13 GHz, as compared with 6 GHz at Tb = 4.2 K. This experiment clearly demonstrates the limitation of the thermal flow from the NbN bridge at Tb ≪ Tc for mixers manufactured by the in situ technique. This limitation is close in its nature to the Andreev reflection on the superconductor/metal boundary. In this case, the noise temperature of the studied mixer increased from 1100 to 3800 K.