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Cherednichenko, S., Kroug, M., Merkel, H., Kollberg, E., Loudkov, D., Smirnov, K., et al. (2001). Local oscillator power requirement and saturation effects in NbN HEB mixers. In C. Iit.u.t.e of T. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Ed.), Proc. 12th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 273–285). San Diego, CA, USA.
Abstract: The local oscillator power required for NbN hot-electron bolometric mixers (P LO ) was investigated with respect to mixer size, critical temperature and ambient temperature. P LO can be decreased by a factor of 10 as the mixer size decreases from 4×0.4 µm 2 to 0.6×0.13 µm 2 . For the smallest volume mixer the optimal local oscillator power was found to be 15 nW. We found that for such mixer no signal compression was observed up to an input signal of 2 nW which corresponds to an equivalent input load of 20,000 K. For a constant mixer volume, reduction of T c can decrease optimal local oscillator power at least by a factor of 2 without a deterioration of the receiver noise temperature. Bath temperature was found to have minor effect on the receiver characteristics.
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Finkel, M., Vachtomin, Y., Antipov, S., Drakinski, V., Kaurova, N., Voronov, B., et al. (2003). Gain bandwidth and noise temperature of NbTiN HEB mixer. In Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 276–285).
Abstract: We have determined that the gain bandwidth of phonon-cooled HEB mixer employing NbTiN films deposited on MgO layer over Si substrate is limited b y the escape of phonons to the substrate. The cut-off frequencies of 1 um long devices operating at T 71, based on 3.5 nm. 4 nm and 10 nm thick films amount to 400 Mk. 300 MHz, and 100 MHz, respectivel y . The gain bandwidth of 0.13 . um long devices fabricated from 3.5 nm thick film is larger and amounts to 0.8 GIL; at the optimal operating point and to 1.5 GIL: at larger bias. The increase of the gain bandwidth from 400 MHz up to 1.5 GH: with the change of bridge length is attributed to diffusion cooling. A double sideband noise temperature of 4000 K was obtained for heterodyne receiver utilizing pilot NbTiN HEB mixer (not optimized for normal state resistance) operating at the local oscillator frequency of 2.5 THz.
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Dzardanov, A., Ekstrom, H., Gershenzon, E., Gol'tsman, G., Jacobsson, S., Karasik, B., et al. (1994). Hot-electron superconducting mixers for 20-500 GHz operation. In Proc. Int. Conf. on Millimeter and Submillimeter Waves and Appl. (Vol. 2250, pp. 276–278).
Abstract: Bolometdcmucers based on Nb and NbN superconducting thin films in the resistive state have been prepared for 20, 100 GHz and 350-500 GHz operation. The mixing mechanism is presumably of electron heating origin. Our measurements indicate that a conversion loss of about 6-8 dB can rather easily be achieved, and that the noise is reasonably low. The requirements on the operation mode and on the film parameters in order to obtain small conversion losses or even gain are discussed. For NbN films the availability of nearly 1 GHz IF bandwidth is experimentally demonstrated. NbN hot-electron mucers combined with slot-line tapered antenna on Si membrane or with double-dipole antenna on SiO^ substrate have been fabricated. The devices we study are considered to be very promising for use in heterodyne receivers from microwaves to terahertz frequencies.
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Goltsman, G. N., Maliavkin, A. V., Ptitsina, N. G., & Selevko, A. G. (1986). Magnetic exciton spectroscopy in uniaxially compressed Ge at submillimeter waves. In Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR, Seriya Fizicheskaya (Vol. 50, pp. 280–281).
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Lobanov, Y., Tong, C., Blundell, R., & Gol'tsman, G. (2009). A study of direct detection effect on the linearity of hot electron bolometer mixers. In Proc. 20th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 282–287).
Abstract: We have performed a study of how direct detection affects the linearity and hence the calibration of an HEB mixer. Two types of waveguide HEB devices have been used: a 0.8 THz HEB mixer and a 1.0 THz HEB mixer which is ~5 times smaller than the former. Two independent experimental approaches were used. In the ΔG/G method, the conversion gain of the HEB mixer is first measured as a function of the bias current for a number of bias voltages. At each bias setting, we carefully measure the change in the operating current when the input loads are switched. From the measured data, we can derive the expected difference in gain between the hot and cold loads. In the second method (injection method [1]), the linearity of the HEB mixer is independently measured by injecting a modulated signal for different input load temperatures. The results of both approaches confirm that there is gain compression in the operation of HEB mixers. Based on the results of our measurements, we discuss the impact of direct detection effects on the operation of HEB mixers.
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