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Author Shurakov, Alexander; Tong, Edward; Blundell, Raymond; Gol'tsman, Gregory
Title Microwave stabilization of HEB mixer by a microchip controller Type Conference Article
Year 2012 Publication IEEE MTT-S international microwave symposium digest Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-3
Keywords HEB mixer stability, microwave injection, Allan variance, Allan time
Abstract The stability of a Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixer can be improved by the use of microwave injection. In this article we report a refinement of this approach. We introduce a microchip controller to facilitate the implementation of the stabilization scheme, and demonstrate that the feedback loop effectively suppresses drifts in the HEB bias current, leading to an improvement in the receiver stability. The measured Allan time of the mixer's IF output power is increased to > 10 s.
Address Montreal, QC, Canada
Corporate Author Thesis
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 857
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Author Khosropanah, P.; Merkel, H.; Yngvesson, S.; Adam, A.; Cherednichenko, S.; Kollberg, E.
Title A distributed device model for phonon-cooled HEB mixers predicting IV characteristics, gain, noise and IF bandwidth Type Conference Article
Year 2000 Publication Proc. 11th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 474-488
Keywords HEB mixer numerical model, diffusion cooling channel, diffusion channel, distributed HEB model, distributed model
Abstract A distributed model for phonon-cooled superconductor hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers is given, which is based on solving the one-dimensional heat balance equation for the electron temperature profile along the superconductor strip. In this model it is assumed that the LO power is absorbed uniformly along the bridge but the DC power absorption depends on the local resistivity and is thus not uniform. The electron temperature dependence of the resistivity is assumed to be continuous and has a Fermi form. These assumptions are used in setting up the non-linear heat balance equation, which is solved numerically for the electron temperature profile along the bolometer strip. Based on this profile the resistance of the device and the IV curves are calculated. The IV curves are in excellent agreement with measurement results. Using a small signal model the conversion gain of the mixer is obtained. The expressions for Johnson noise and thermal fluctuation noise are derived. The calculated results are in close agreement with measurements, provided that one of the parameters used is adjusted.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA Editor (up)
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 893
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Author Ynvesson, K. Sigfrid; Kollberg, Erik L.
Title Optimum receiver noise temperature for NbN HEB mixers according to standard model Type Conference Article
Year 1999 Publication Proc. 10th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 566-582
Keywords HEB mixer model, standard model, electro-thermal feedback, self-heating parameter, heating efficiency
Abstract
Address
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor (up)
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 895
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Author Pütz, P.; Honingh, C. E.; Jacobs, K.; Justen, M.; Schultz, M.; Stutzki, J.
Title Terahertz hot electron bolometer waveguide mixers for GREAT Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal A&A
Volume 542 Issue Pages L2
Keywords HEB mixer, applications
Abstract Context. Supplementing the publications based on the first-light observations with the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT) on SOFIA, we present background information on the underlying heterodyne detector technology. This Letter complements the GREAT instrument Letter and focuses on the mixers itself.

Aims. We describe the superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) detectors that are used as frequency mixers in the L1 (1400 GHz), L2 (1900 GHz), and M (2500 GHz) channels of GREAT. Measured performance of the detectors is presented and background information on their operation in GREAT is given.

Methods. Our mixer units are waveguide-based and couple to free-space radiation via a feedhorn antenna. The HEB mixers are designed, fabricated, characterized, and flight-qualified in-house. We are able to use the full intermediate frequency bandwidth of the mixers using silicon-germanium multi-octave cryogenic low-noise amplifiers with very low input return loss.

Results. Superconducting HEB mixers have proven to be practical and sensitive detectors for high-resolution THz frequency spectroscopy on SOFIA. We show that our niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN) material HEBs on silicon nitride (SiN) membrane substrates have an intermediate frequency (IF) noise roll-off frequency above 2.8 GHz, which does not limit the current receiver IF bandwidth. Our mixer technology development efforts culminate in the first successful operation of a waveguide-based HEB mixer at 2.5 THz and deployment for radioastronomy. A significant contribution to the success of GREAT is made by technological development, thorough characterization and performance optimization of the mixer and its IF interface for receiver operation on SOFIA. In particular, the development of an optimized mixer IF interface contributes to the low passband ripple and excellent stability, which GREAT demonstrated during its initial successful astronomical observation runs.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor (up)
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 907
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Author Cherednichenko, Sergey; Drakinskiy, Vladimir; Berg, Therese; Khosropanah, Pourya; Kollberg, Erik
Title Hot-electron bolometer terahertz mixers for the Herschel Space Observatory Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Review of Scientific Instruments Abbreviated Journal Rev. Sci. Instrum.
Volume 79 Issue Pages 034501
Keywords HEB mixer, HEB detector, HEB direct detector, applications
Abstract We report on low noise terahertz mixers(1.4–1.9THz) developed for the heterodyne spectrometer onboard the Herschel Space Observatory. The mixers employ double slot antenna integrated superconducting hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) made of thin NbN films. The mixer performance was characterized in terms of detection sensitivity across the entire rf band by using a Fourier transform spectrometer (from 0.5to2.5THz, with 30GHz resolution) and also by measuring the mixernoise temperature at a limited number of discrete frequencies. The lowest mixernoise temperature recorded was 750K [double sideband (DSB)] at 1.6THz and 950KDSB at 1.9THz local oscillator (LO) frequencies. Averaged across the intermediate frequency band of 2.4–4.8GHz, the mixernoise temperature was 1100KDSB at 1.6THz and 1450KDSB at 1.9THz LO frequencies. The HEB heterodyne receiver stability has been analyzed and compared to the HEB stability in the direct detection mode. The optimal local oscillator power was determined and found to be in a 200–500nW range.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor (up)
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 908
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