|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Hajenius, M.; Yang, Z. Q.; Gao, J. R.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Optimized sensitivity of NbN hot electron bolometer mixers by annealing Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 17 Issue 2 Pages 399-402
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We report that the heterodyne sensitivity of superconducting hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) increases by 25-30% after annealing at 85degC in high vacuum. The devices studied are twin-slot antenna coupled mixers with a small area NbN bridge of 1 mum times 0.15 mum, above which there is a SiO 2 passivation layer. The mixer noise temperature, gain, and resistance versus temperature curve of a HEB before and after annealing are compared and analysed. We show that the annealing reduces the intrinsic noise of the mixer by 37% and makes the superconducting transition of the bridge and the contacts sharper. We argue that the reduction ofthe noise is mainly due to the improvement of the transparency of the contact/film interface. The lowest receiver noise temperature of 700 K is measured at a local oscillator frequency of 1.63 THz and at a bath temperature of 4.2 K.
Address
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 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1426
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tretyakov, I.; Maslennikov, S.; Semenov, A.; Safir, O.; Finkel, M.; Ryabchun, S.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B.; Goltsman, G.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Impact of operating conditions on noise and gain bandwidth of NbN HEB mixers Type Conference Article
Year 2015 Publication Proc. 26th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 26th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 39
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract Hot-electron bolometer mixers (HEB’s) are the most promising devices as mixing element for terahertz spectroscopy and astronomy at frequencies beyond 1.4 THz. They have a low noise temperature and low demands on local oscillator (LO) power. 1,2 An important limitation is the IF bandwidth, of the order of a few GHz, and which in principle depends on energy relaxation due to electron- phonon processes and on diffusion-cooling. It has been proposed by Prober that a reduction in length of the HEB would lead to an increased bandwidth. 3 This appeared to be achieved by Tretyakov et al by measuring the gain bandwidth close to the critical temperature of the NbN. 2 Unfortunately, the noise bandwidth of similar devices operated at temperatures around 4.2 K appear not depend on the length. The fundamental problem to be addressed is the position-dependent superconducting state of the HEB- devices under operating conditions, which determines the conditions for the cooling of the hot quasiparticles. Some progress has been made by Barends et al in a semi-empirical model to describe the I,V curves under operating conditions at a bath temperature around 4.2 K. 4 In more recent work Vercruyssen et al have analyzed the I,V curve, without any LO-equivalent bias, of a model NSN system. 5 This work suggests that the most appropriate model for an HEB under operating conditions is that of a potential-well in the superconducting gap in the center of the NbN, analogous the bimodal superconducting state described by Vercruyssen et al. Hot quasiparticles in the well can not diffuse out and can only cool by electron-phonon processes, those with higher energies than the heights of the walls of the well can diffuse out. Using this working hypothesis we have carried out experiments on a sub-micrometer NbN bridge connected to a gold (Au) planar spiral antenna. An in situ process is used to deposit Au on NbN. The Au is removed in the center to define the uncovered NbN, which will act as the superconducting mixer itself. The antenna is deposited on the remaining Au layer on the NbN. The Au contacts suppress the energy gap of the NbN film located underneath the gold layer 7,8 . The measured resistive transition is shown in Fig.1. It clearly shows a T c of the bilayer at 6.2 K and the resistive transition of the NbN itself around 9 K. In addition we show the measured noise bandwidth (red squares) for different bath temperatures. Clearly the noise bandwidth increases strongly by increasing the bath temperature from 5 K to 8 K, up to 13 GHz. We interpret this pattern as evidence for improved out-diffusion of hot electrons due to normal banks and a shallow superconducting potential well compared to k B T. As expected the noise temperature in this regime is much bigger than when biased at 4.2 K. R EFERENCES 1 W. Zhang, P. Khosropanah, J. R. Gao, E. L. Kollberg, K. S. Yngvesson, T. Bansal, R. Barends, and T. M. Klapwijk Appl. Phys. Lett. 96, 111113, (2010). 2 Ivan Tretyakov, Sergey Ryabchun, Matvey Finkel, Anna Maslennikova, Natalia Kaurova, Anastasia Lobastova, Boris Voronov, and Gregory Gol’tsman Appl. Phys. Lett. 98, 033507 (2011). 3 D. E. Prober, Appl. Phys. Lett. 62, 2119 (1992). 4 R. Barends, M. Hajenius, J. R. Gao, and T. M. Klapwijk, Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 263506 (2005). 5 N. Vercruyssen, T. G. A. Verhagen, M. G. Flokstra, J. P. Pekola, and T. M. Klapwijk Physical Review B 85, 224503 (2012).
Address
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 (up) Serial 1159
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Seliverstov, Sergey V.; Rusova, Anastasia A.; Kaurova, Natalya S.; Voronov, Boris M.; Goltsman, Gregory N.
Title AC-biased superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer for frequency-domain multiplexing Type Conference Article
Year 2017 Publication Proc. 28th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 28th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 120-122
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We present the results of characterization of fast and sensitive superconducting antenna-coupled THz direct detector based on NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) with AC-bias. We discuss the possibility of implementation of the AC-bias for design the readout system from the multi-element arrays of HEBs using standard technique of frequency-domain multiplexing. We demonstrate experimentally that this approach does not lead to significant deterioration of the HEB sensitivity compared with the value obtained for the same detector with DC- bias. Results of a numerical calculations of the HEB responsivity at AC-bias are in a good agreement with the experiment.
Address
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 (up) Serial 1174
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Antipov, S.; Trifonov, A.; Krause, S.; Meledin, D.; Desmaris, V.; Belitsky, V.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title Gain bandwidth of NbN HEB mixers on GaN buffer layer operating at 2 THz local oscillator frequency Type Conference Article
Year 2017 Publication Proc. 28th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 28th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 147-148
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, GaN buffer-layer, IF bandwidth
Abstract In this paper, we present IF bandwidth measurement results of NbN HEB mixers, which are employing NbN thin films grown on a GaN buffer-layer. The HEB mixers were operated in the heterodyne regime at a bath temperature of approximately 4.5 K and with a local oscillator operating at a frequency of 2 THz. A quantum cascade laser served as the local oscillator and a reference synthesizer based on a BWO generator (130-160 GHz) and a semiconductor superlattice (SSL) frequency multiplier was used as a signal source. By changing the LO frequency it was possible to record the IF response or gain bandwidth of the HEB with a spectrum analyzer at the operation point, which yielded lowest noise temperature. The gain bandwidth that was recorded in the heterodyne regime at 2 THz amounts to approximately 5 GHz and coincides well with a measurement that has been performed at elevated bath temperatures and lower LO frequency of 140 GHz. These findings strongly support that by using a GaN buffer-layer the phonon escape time of NbN HEBs can be significantly lower as compared to e.g. Si substrate, thus, providing higher gain bandwidth.
Address
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 (up) Serial 1175
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Huebers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Semenov, A.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.; Gershenzon, E. M.; Schwaab, G. W.
Title NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer as a mixer for THz heterodyne receivers Type Conference Article
Year 1999 Publication Proc. SPIE Abbreviated Journal Proc. SPIE
Volume 3828 Issue Pages 410-416
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We have investigated a phonon-cooled NbN hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixer in the frequency range from 0.7 THz to 5.2 THz. The device was a 3.5 nm thin film with an in- plane dimension of 1.7 X 0.2 micrometers 2 integrated in a complementary logarithmic spiral antenna. The measured DSB receiver noise temperatures are 1500 K, 2200 K, 2600 K, 2900 K, 4000 K, 5600 K and 8800 K. The sensitivity fluctuation, the long term stability, and the antenna pattern were measured and the suitability of the mixer for a practical heterodyne receiver is discussed.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Spie Place of Publication Editor Chamberlain, J.M.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference Terahertz Spectroscopy and Applications II
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1477
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Ren, Y.; Zhang, D. X.; Zhou, K. M.; Miao, W.; Zhang, W.; Shi, S. C.; Seleznev, V.; Pentin, I.; Vakhtomin, Y.; Smirnov, K.
Title 10.6 μm heterodyne receiver based on a superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer and a quantum cascade laser Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication AIP Advances Abbreviated Journal AIP Advances
Volume 9 Issue 7 Pages 075307
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, QCL, IR
Abstract We report on the development of a heterodyne receiver at mid-infrared wavelength for high-resolution spectroscopy applications. The receiver employs a superconducting NbN hot electron bolometer as a mixer and a room temperature distributed feedback quantum cascade laser operating at 10.6 μm (28.2 THz) as a local oscillator. The stabilization of the heterodyne receiver has been achieved using a feedback loop controlling the output power of the laser. Improved Allan variance times as well as a double sideband receiver noise temperature of 5000 K and a noise bandwidth of 2.8 GHz of the receiver system are demonstrated.

The work is supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China under Grant 2018YFA0404701, by the CAS program under Grant QYZDJ-SSW-SLH043 and GJJSTD20180003, by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant 11773083, by the “Hundred Talents Program” of the “Pioneer Initiative”, and in part by the CAS Key Lab for Radio Astronomy.
Address
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 2158-3226 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1293
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tretyakov, I. V.; Anfertyev, V. A.; Revin, L. S.; Kaurova, N. S.; Voronov, B. M.; Vaks, V. L.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Sensitivity and resolution of a heterodyne receiver based on the NbN HEB mixer with a quantum-cascade laser as a local oscillator Type Journal Article
Year 2018 Publication Radiophys. Quant. Electron. Abbreviated Journal Radiophys. Quant. Electron.
Volume 60 Issue 12 Pages 988-992
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We present the results of experimental studies of the basic characteristics and operation features of a terahertz heterodyne detector based on the superconducting NbN HEB mixer and a quantum cascade laser as a local oscillator operating at a frequency of 2.02 THz. The measured noise temperature of such a mixer amounted to 1500 K. The spectral resolution of the detector is determined by the width of the local-oscillator spectral line whose measured value does not exceed 1 MHz. The quantum-cascade laser could be linearly tuned with respect to frequency with the coefficient 7.2 MHz/mA within the limits of the current oscillation bandwidth.
Address
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 0033-8443 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1307
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tretyakov, Ivan; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B. M.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title About effect of the temperature operating conditions on the noise temperature and noise bandwidth of the terahertz range NbN hot-electron bolometers Type Abstract
Year 2018 Publication Proc. 29th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 29th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 113
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
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.
Address
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 (up) Serial 1313
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Seliverstov, S. V.; Anfertyev, V. A.; Tretyakov, I. V.; Ozheredov, I. A.; Solyankin, P. M.; Revin, L. S.; Vaks, V. L.; Rusova, A. A.; Goltsman, G. N.; Shkurinov, A. P.
Title Terahertz heterodyne receiver with an electron-heating mixer and a heterodyne based on the quantum-cascade laser Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication Radiophys. Quant. Electron. Abbreviated Journal Radiophys. Quant. Electron.
Volume 60 Issue 7 Pages 518-524
Keywords NbN HEB mixer, QCL
Abstract We study characteristics of the laboratory prototype of a terahertz heterodyne receiver with an electron-heating mixer and a heterodyne based on the quantum-cascade laser. The results obtained demonstrate the possibility to use this receiver as a basis for creation of a high-sensitivity terahertz spectrometer, which can be used in many basic and practical applications. A significant advantage of this receiver will be the possibility of placing the mixer and heterodyne in the same cryostat, which will reduce the device dimensions considerably. The obtained experimental results are analyzed, and methods of optimizing the parameters of the receiver are proposed.
Address
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 0033-8443 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1322
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Anfertev, V.; Vaks, V.; Revin, L.; Pentin, I.; Tretyakov, I.; Goltsman, G.; Vinogradov, E. A.; Naumov, A. V.; Gladush, M. G.; Karimullin, K. R.
Title High resolution THz gas spectrometer based on semiconductor and superconductor devices Type Conference Article
Year 2017 Publication EPJ Web Conf. Abbreviated Journal EPJ Web Conf.
Volume 132 Issue Pages 02001 (1 to 2)
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, detectors, THz spectroscopy
Abstract The high resolution THz gas spectrometer consists of a synthesizer based on Gunn generator with a semiconductor superlattice frequency multiplier as a radiation source, and an NbN hot electron bolometer in a direct detection mode as a THz radiation receiver was presented. The possibility of application of a quantum cascade laser as a local oscillator for a heterodyne receiver which is based on an NbN hot electron bolometer mixer is shown. The ways for further developing of the THz spectroscopy were outlined.
Address
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 2100-014X ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1328
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Krause, S.; Mityashkin, V.; Antipov, S.; Gol’tsman, G.; Meledin, D.; Desmaris, V.; Belitsky, V.; Rudziński, M.
Title Reduction of phonon escape time for nbn hot electron bolometers by using gan buffer layers Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication IEEE Trans. Terahertz Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Terahertz Sci. Technol.
Volume 7 Issue 1 Pages 53-59
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract In this paper, we investigated the influence of the GaN buffer layer on the phonon escape time of phonon-cooled hot electron bolometers (HEBs) based on NbN material and compared our findings to conventionally employed Si substrate. The presented experimental setup and operation of the HEB close to the critical temperature of the NbN film allowed for the extraction of phonon escape time in a simplified manner. Two independent experiments were performed at GARD/Chalmers and MSPU on a similar experimental setup at frequencies of approximately 180 and 140 GHz, respectively, and have shown reproducible and consistent results. By fitting the normalized IF measurement data to the heat balance equations, the escape time as a fitting parameter has been deduced and amounts to 45 ps for the HEB based on Si substrate as in contrast to a significantly reduced escape time of 18 ps for the HEB utilizing the GaN buffer layer under the assumption that no additional electron diffusion has taken place. This study indicates a high phonon transmissivity of the NbN-to-GaN interface and a prospective increase of IF bandwidth for HEB made of NbN on GaN buffer layers, which is desirable for future THz HEB heterodyne receivers.
Address
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 2156-3446 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1330
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Lobanov, Y.; Kaurova, N.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G.
Title Photon absorption near the gap frequency in a hot electron bolometer Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 27 Issue 4 Pages 1-4
Keywords NBN HEB mixer
Abstract The superconducting energy gap is a fundamental characteristic of a superconducting film, which, together with the applied pump power and the biasing setup, defines the instantaneous resistive state of the Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixer at any given bias point on the I-V curve. In this paper we report on a series of experiments, in which we subjected the HEB to radiation over a wide frequency range along with parallel microwave injection. We have observed three distinct regimes of operation of the HEB, depending on whether the radiation is above the gap frequency, far below it or close to it. These regimes are driven by the different patterns of photon absorption. The experiments have allowed us to derive the approximate gap frequency of the device under test as about 585 GHz. Microwave injection was used to probe the HEB impedance. Spontaneous switching between the superconducting (low resistive) state and a quasi-normal (high resistive) state was observed. The switching pattern depends on the particular regime of HEB operation and can assume a random pattern at pump frequencies below the gap to a regular relaxation oscillation running at a few MHz when pumped above the gap.
Address
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 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1331
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tong, C.-Y. E.; Trifonov, A.; Shurakov, A.; Blundell, R.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title A microwave-operated hot-electron-bolometric power detector for terahertz radiation Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 25 Issue 3 Pages 2300604 (1 to 4)
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract A new class of microwave-operated THz power detectors based on the NbN hot-electron-bolometer (HEB) mixer is proposed. The injected microwave signal ( 1 GHz) serves the dual purpose of pumping the HEB element and enabling the read-out of the internal state of the device. A cryogenic amplifier amplifies the reflected microwave signal from the device and a homodyne scheme recovers the effects of the incident THz radiation. Two modes of operation have been identified, depending on the level of incident radiation. For weak signals, we use a chopper to chop the incident radiation against a black body reference and a lock-in amplifier to perform synchronous detection of the homodyne readout. The voltage measured is proportional to the incident power, and we estimate an optical noise equivalent power of  5pW/ √Hz at 0.83 THz. At higher signal levels, the homodyne circuit recovers the stream of steady relaxation oscillation pulses from the HEB device. The frequency of these pulses is in the MHz frequency range and bears a linear relationship with the incident THz radiation over an input power range of  15 dB. A digital frequency counter is used to measure THz power. The applicable power range is between 1 nW and 1 μW.
Address
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 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number (up) Serial 1354
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Tretyakov, Ivan; Seliverstov, Sergey; Zolotov, Philipp; Kaurova, Natalya; Voronov, Boris; Finkel, Matvey; Goltsman, Gregory
Title Noise temperature and noise bandwidth of hot-electron bolometer mixer at 3.8 THz Type Abstract
Year 2014 Publication Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 77
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We report on our recent results of double sideband (DSB) noise temperature and bandwidth measurements of quasi-optical hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers at local oscillator frequency of 3.8 THz. The HEB mixers used in this work were made of a NbN thin film and had a superconducting transition temperature of about 10.3 K. To couple terahertz radiation, the NbN microbridge (0.2 μm long and 2 μm wide) was integrated with a planar logarithmic-spiral antenna. The mixer chip was glued to an elliptical Si lens clamped tightly to a mixer block mounted on the 4.2 K plate of a liquid helium cryostat. The terahertz radiation was fed into the HEB device through the cryostat window made of a 0.5 mm thick HDPE. A band-pass mesh filter was mounted on the 4.2 K plate to minimize the direct detection effect [1]. We used a gas discharge laser irradiating at 3.8 THz H 2 0 line as a local oscillator (LO). The LO power was combined with a black body broadband radiation via Mylar beam splitter. Our receiver allows heterodyne detection with an intermediate frequency (IF) of a several gigahertz which dictates usage of a wideband SiGe low noise amplifier [2]. The receiver IF output signal was further amplified at room temperature and fed into a square-law power detector through a band-pass filter. The DSB receiver noise temperature was measured using a conventional Y-factor technique at IF of 1.25 GHz and band of 40 MHz. Using wideband amplifiers at both cryogenic and room temperature stages we have estimated IF bandwidth of the HEB mixers used. The obtained results strengthen the position of the HEB mixer as one of the most important tools for submillimeter astronomy. This device operates well above the energy gap (at frequencies above 1 THz) where performance of state-of-the-art SIS mixers starts to degrade. So, HEB mixers are expected to be a device of choice in astrophysical observations (ground-, aircraft- and space-based) at THz frequencies due to its excellent noise performance and low LO power requirements. The HEB mixers will be in operation on Millimetron Space Observatory. References 1. J. J. A. Baselmans, A. Baryshev, S. F. Reker, M. Hajenius, J. R. Gao, T. M. Klapwijk, Yu. Vachtomin, S. Maslennikov, S. Antipov, B. Voronov, and G. Gol'tsman, Appl. Phys. Lett., 86, 163503 (2005). 2. Sander Weinreb, Life Fellow, IEEE, Joseph C. Bardin, Student Member, IEEE, and Hamdi Mani, “Design of Cryogenic SiGe Low-Noise Amplifiers”, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 55, 11, 2007.
Address
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 (up) Serial 1362
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Kinev, N. V.; Filippenko, L. V.; Ozhegov, R. V.; Gorshkov, K. N.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Koshelets, V. P.
Title Superconducting integrated receiver with HEB-mixer Type Abstract
Year 2014 Publication Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 78
Keywords NbN HEB mixer, SIR, superconducting integrated receiver
Abstract Detectors in THz range with high sensitivity are very essential nowadays in different fields: space technology, atmospheric research, medicine and security. The most sensitive heterodyne detectors below 1 THz are the SIS- mixers due to its extremely high non-linearity and low noise level. Nevertheless, their effective range is strongly limited by superconducting gap Δ (about 1 THz for NbN circuits). Above 1 THz the detectors based on HEB (hot electron bolometers) are more effective [1]; their operation frequency is not limited from above and can be up to 70 THz [2]. HEBs can perform as both direct and heterodyne detectors (mixers). All HEB-mixers are used with external heterodyne, most useful are synthesizer with multipliers, quantum cascade lasers or far infrared lasers and backward-wave oscillators. Superconducting integrated receiver (SIR) is based on implementation of both SIS-miser and flux flow oscillator (FFO) acting as heterodyne at single chip [3]. Such receiver has been successfully applied at TELIS balloon-borne instrument for study of atmospheric constituents [4] and looks as very promising device for other THz missions including space research. Thus, there is a task to expand its operating range to higher frequencies. The frequency range of the SIR the operation is limited by both the SIS-mixer and the FFO maximum frequencies. The idea of present work is implementation of the HEB as a mixer in the SIR instead of the SIS traditionally used. We introduce the first results of integrating the HEB-mixer coupled to planar slot antenna with the FFO on one chip. For properly FFO operation the SIS harmonic mixer is used to phase lock the oscillator. The scheme of the SIR based on the HEB- mixer is presented in fig. 1. We have demonstrated the principal possibility of integration of both the HEB-mixer and the flux-flow oscillator on a single chip and succeed with sufficient power coupling for properly receiver operation. We measured the direct response of the HEB coupled to the antenna at THz frequencies by the FTS setup and noise temperature of the receiver with standard Y- factor measuring technique. The SIR operating range 450-620 GHz was achieved with the best uncorrected noise temperature of about 1000 К. One should note that it is still quite low frequencies for effective operation of the HEB-mixer; therefore we expect to obtain the better results for frequencies above 700 GHz (up to 1.2 THz). Another additional task is to increase the FFO frequencies by using NbTiN electrodes instead of NbN; currently we are working on this issue. This work was supported by the RFBR grant, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia and Russian Academy of Sciences. References 1. D. Semenov, H.-W. Hubers, J. Schubert, G. N. Gol’tsman, A. I. Elantiev, B. M. Voronov, E. M. Gershenzon, Design and performance of the lattice-cooled hot-electron terahertz mixer, J. Appl. Phys. 88, 6758, 2000. 2. Maslennikov S. N., Finkel M. I., Antipov S. V. et al. Spiral antenna coupled and directly coupled NbN HEB mixers in the frequency range from 1 to 70THz. Proc. 17 th international symposium on space terahertz technology. Paris, France: 2006.—may. Pp. 177 – 179. 3. V.P. Koshelets, S.V. Shitov. Integrated Superconducting Receivers. Supercond. Sci. Technol. Vol. 13. P. R53-R59. 2000. 4. Gert de Lange, Dick Boersma, Johannes Dercksen et.al. Development and Characterization of the Superconducting Integrated Receiver Channel of the TELIS Atmospheric Sounder. Supercond. Sci. Technol. vol. 23, No 4, 045016 (8pp). 2010.
Address
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 (up) Serial 1363
Permanent link to this record