Records |
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. |
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1558-2515 |
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1354 |
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Lobanov, Y.; Shcherbatenko, M.; Finkel, M.; Maslennikov, S.; Semenov, A.; Voronov, B. M.; Rodin, A. V.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Gol'tsman, G. N. |
Title |
NbN hot-electron-bolometer mixer for operation in the near-IR frequency range |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2015 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Volume |
25 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
2300704 (1 to 4) |
Keywords |
HEB mixer, IR, optical antenna |
Abstract |
Traditionally, hot-electron-bolometer (HEB) mixers are employed for THz and “super-THz” heterodyne detection. To explore the near-IR spectral range, we propose a fiber-coupled NbN film based HEB mixer. To enhance the incident-light absorption, a quasi-antenna consisting of a set of parallel stripes of gold is used. To study the antenna effect on the mixer performance, we have experimentally studied a set of devices with different size of the Au stripe and spacing between the neighboring stripes. With use of the well-known isotherm technique we have estimated the absorption efficiency of the mixer, and the maximum efficiency has been observed for devices with the smallest pitch of the alternating NbN and NbN-Au stripes. Also, a proper alignment of the incident Eâƒ<2014>-field with respect to the stripes allows us to improve the coupling further. Studying IV-characteristics of the mixer under differently-aligned Eâƒ<2014>-field of the incident radiation, we have noticed a difference in their shape. This observation suggests that a difference exists in the way the two waves with orthogonal polarizations parallel and perpendicular Eâƒ<2014>-field to the stripes heat the electrons in the HEB mixer. The latter results in a variation in the electron temperature distribution over the HEB device irradiated by the two waves. |
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952 |
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Author |
Zhang, W.; Miao, W.; Li, S. L.; Zhou, K. M.; Shi, S. C.; Gao, J. R.; Goltsman, G. N. |
Title |
Measurement of the spectral response of spiral-antenna coupled superconducting hot electron bolometers |
Type |
Journal Article |
Year |
2013 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Volume |
23 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
2300804-2300804 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB detector |
Abstract |
Measured spectral response of spiral-antenna coupled superconducting hot electron bolometers (HEBs) often drops dramatically at frequencies that are still within the frequency range of interest (e.g., ~ 5 THz). This is inconsistent with the implied low receiver noise temperatures from the same measurements. To understand this discrepancy, we exhaustively test and calibrate the thermal sources used in Fourier transform spectrometer measurements. We first investigate the absolute emission spectrum of high-pressure Hg arc lamp, then measure the spectral response of two spiral-antenna coupled NbN HEBs with a Martin-Puplett interferometer as spectrometer and 77 K blackbody as broadband signal source. The measured absolute emission spectrum of Hg arc lamp is proportional to frequency, corresponding to an equivalent blackbody temperature of 4000 K at 1 THz, 1500 K at 3 THz, and 800 K at 5 THz, respectively. Measured spectral response of spiral-antenna coupled NbN HEBs, corrected for air absorption, is nearly flat in the frequency range of 0.5-4 THz, consistent with simulated coupling efficiency between HEB and spiral-antenna. These results explain the discrepancy, and prove that spiral-antenna coupled superconducting NbN HEBs work well in a wide frequency range. In addition, this calibration method and these results are broadly applicable to other quasi-optical THz receivers. |
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1051-8223 |
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1371 |
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