Zhang, W., Li, N., Jiang, L., Miao, W., Lin, Z. - H., Yao, Q. - J., et al. (2007). Noise behaviour of a THz superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer. Chinese Phys. Lett., 24(6), 1778–1781.
Abstract: A quasi-optical superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer is measured in the frequency range of 0.5–2.5 THz for understanding of the frequency dependence of noise temperature of THz coherent detectors. It has been found that noise temperature increasing with frequency is mainly due to the coupling loss between the quasi-optical planar antenna and the superconducting HEB bridge when taking account of non-uniform distribution of high-frequency current. With the coupling loss corrected, the superconducting HEB mixer demonstrates a noise temperature nearly independent of frequency.
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Kooi, J. W., Baselmans, J. J. A., Baryshev, A., Schieder, R., Hajenius, M., Gao, J. R., et al. (2006). Stability of heterodyne terahertz receivers. J. Appl. Phys., 100(6), 064904 (1 to 9).
Abstract: In this paper we discuss the stability of heterodyne terahertz receivers based on small volume NbN phonon cooled hot electron bolometers (HEBs). The stability of these receivers can be broken down in two parts: the intrinsic stability of the HEB mixer and the stability of the local oscillator (LO) signal injection scheme. Measurements show that the HEB mixer stability is limited by gain fluctuations with a 1∕f spectral distribution. In a 60MHz noise bandwidth this results in an Allan variance stability time of ∼0.3s. Measurement of the spectroscopic Allan variance between two intermediate frequency (IF) channels results in a much longer Allan variance stability time, i.e., 3s between a 2.5 and a 4.7GHz channel, and even longer for more closely spaced channels. This implies that the HEB mixer 1∕f noise is strongly correlated across the IF band and that the correlation gets stronger the closer the IF channels are spaced. In the second part of the paper we discuss atmospheric and mechanical system stability requirements on the LO-mixer cavity path length. We calculate the mixer output noise fluctuations as a result of small perturbations of the LO-mixer standing wave, and find very stringent mechanical and atmospheric tolerance requirements for receivers operating at terahertz frequencies.
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Vakhtomin, Y. B., Finkel, M. I., Antipov, S. V., Smirnov, K. V., Kaurova, N. S., Drakinskii, V. N., et al. (2003). The gain bandwidth of mixers based on the electron heating effect in an ultrathin NbN film on a Si substrate with a buffer MgO layer. J. of communications technol. & electronics, 48(6), 671–675.
Abstract: Measurements of the intermediate frequency band 900 GHz of mixers based on the electron heating effect (EHE) in 2-nm- and 3.5-nm-thick superconducting NbN films sputtered on MgO and Si substrates with buffer MgO layers are presented. A 2-nm-thick superconducting NbN film with a critical temperature of 9.2 K has been obtained for the first time using a buffer MgO layer.
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Gershenzon, E. M., Gol'tsman, G. N., Karasik, B. S., Lugovaya, G. Y., Serebryakova, N. A., & Chinkova, E. V. (1992). Infrared radiation detectors on the base of electron heating in resistive state films from traditional superconducing materials. Sverkhprovodimost': Fizika, Khimiya, Tekhnika, 5(6), 1129–1140.
Abstract: Characteristics of infrared radiation detectors based on electron heating in thin superconducting films transformed at T ≤ Tc to a resistive state by transport current and, if necessary, by magnetic field are investigated. A comparison is made of the characteristics of the detectors fabricated of different materials: aluminium, niobium, Mo0.5Re0.5. Some devices with different topology of the reception area are considered. Electron heating detectors are comparable by their sensitivity with superconducting bolometers, but differ in a high fast-response.
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Gershenzon, E. M., Gershenzon, M. E., Gol'tsman, G. N., Karasik, B. S., Semenov, A. D., & Sergeev, A. V. (1987). Light-induced heating of electrons and the time of the inelastic electron-phonon scattering in the YBaCuO compound. JETP Lett., 46(6), 285–287.
Abstract: For the first time, measurements have been made on the electron energy relaxation time due to the electron--phonon interaction in films of the YBaCuO superconductor. The results indicate a significant intensification of the electron--phonon interaction in this compound as compared with normal superconducting metals.
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