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Author Il'in, K. S.; Lindgren, M.; Currie, M. A.; Semenov, D.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Sobolewski, Roman; Cherednichenko, S. I.; Gershenzon, E. M.
Title Picosecond hot-electron energy relaxation in NbN superconducting photodetectors Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 76 Issue 19 Pages 2752-2754
Keywords NbN HEB detectors, two-temperature model, IF bandwidth
Abstract We report time-resolved characterization of superconducting NbN hot-electron photodetectors using an electro-optic sampling method. Our samples were patterned into micron-size microbridges from 3.5-nm-thick NbN films deposited on sapphire substrates. The devices were illuminated with 100 fs optical pulses, and the photoresponse was measured in the ambient temperature range between 2.15 and 10.6 K (superconducting temperature transition TC). The experimental data agreed very well with the nonequilibrium hot-electron, two-temperature model. The quasiparticle thermalization time was ambient temperature independent and was measured to be 6.5 ps. The inelastic electron–phonon scattering time Ï„e–ph tended to decrease with the temperature increase, although its change remained within the experimental error, while the phonon escape time Ï„es decreased almost by a factor of two when the sample was put in direct contact with superfluid helium. Specifically, Ï„e–ph and Ï„es, fitted by the two-temperature model, were equal to 11.6 and 21 ps at 2.15 K, and 10(±2) and 38 ps at 10.5 K, respectively. The obtained value of Ï„e–ph shows that the maximum intermediate frequency bandwidth of NbN hot-electron phonon-cooled mixers operating at TC can reach 16(+4/–3) GHz if one eliminates the bolometric phonon-heating effect.
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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 856
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Author Semenov, A. D.; Hübers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Elantiev, A. I.; Voronov, B. M.; Gershenzon, E. M.
Title Design and performance of the lattice-cooled hot-electron terahertz mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 88 Issue 11 Pages 6758-6767
Keywords HEB mixer, charge imbalance, HF current distribution
Abstract We present the measurements and the theoreticalmodel of the frequency-dependent noise temperature of a superconductor lattice-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixer in the terahertz frequency range. The increase of the noise temperature with frequency is a cumulative effect of the nonuniform distribution of the high-frequency current in the bolometer and the charge imbalance, which occurs at the edges of the normal domain and at the contacts with normal metal. We show that under optimal operation the fluctuation sensitivity of the mixer is determined by thermodynamic fluctuations of the noise power, whereas at small biases there appears additional noise, which is probably due to the flux flow. We propose the prescription of how to minimize the influence of the current distribution on the mixer performance.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-8979 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 306
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Author Siddiqi, I.; Prober, D. E.
Title Nb–Au bilayer hot-electron bolometers for low-noise THz heterodyne detection Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Applied Physics Letters Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 84 Issue 8 Pages 1404
Keywords HEB, mixers, dynamic range, saturation, LO power, local oscillator power, Nb
Abstract The sensitivity of present Nb diffusion-cooled hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers is not quantum limited, and can be improved by reducing the superconducting transition temperature TC. Lowering TC reduces thermal fluctuations, resulting in a decrease of the mixer noise temperature TM. However, lower TC mixers have reduced dynamic range and saturate more easily due to background noise. We present 30 GHz microwave measurements on a bilayer HEB system, Nb–Au, in which TC can be tuned with Au layer thickness to obtain the maximum sensitivity for a given noise background. These measurements are intended as a guide for the optimization of THz mixers. Using a Nb–Au mixer with TC = 1.6 K, we obtain TM = 50 K with 2 nW of local oscillator (LO) power. Good mixer performance is observed over a wide range of LO power and bias voltage and such a device should not exhibit saturation in a THz receiver.
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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 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 571
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Author Baselmans, J. J. A.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; de Korte, P. A. J.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Doubling of sensitivity and bandwidth in phonon cooled hot electron bolometer mixers Type Journal Article
Year 2004 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 84 Issue 11 Pages 1958-1960
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We demonstrate that the performance of NbN lattice cooled hot electron bolometer mixers depends strongly on the interface quality between the bolometer and the contact structure. We show experimentally that both the receiver noise temperature and the gain bandwidth can be improved by more than a factor of 2 by cleaning the interface and adding an additional superconducting interlayer to the contact pad. Using this we obtain a double sideband receiver noise temperature TN,DSB=950 K

at 2.5 THz and 4.3 K, uncorrected for losses in the optics. At the same bias point, we obtain an IF gain bandwidth of 6 GHz.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 352
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Author Phillips, T. G.; Jefferts, K. B.
Title A low temperature bolometer heterodyne receiver for Millimeter wave astronomy Type Journal Article
Year 1973 Publication Rev. Sci. Instrum. Abbreviated Journal Rev. Sci. Instrum.
Volume 44 Issue 8 Pages 1009-1014
Keywords InSb HEB mixer
Abstract Liquid helium cooled InSb hot electronbolometers are used in a balanced mixer configuration as detectors for an imagelessmicrowave receiver. The system is designed for mounting at the prime focus of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) 11 m antenna at Kitt Peak, Arizona, and is suitable for the study of rotational line spectra of interstellar gas molecules. Currently the operating frequency is in the 90–140 GHz band where the double sideband system noise temperature is 250 K.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
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Notes Recommended by Klapwijk Approved no
Call Number Serial 927
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