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Author Tong, C. Edward; Trifonov, Andrey; Blundell, Raymond; Shurakov, Alexander; Gol’tsman, Gregory
Title A digital terahertz power meter based on an NbN thin film Type Abstract
Year 2014 Publication Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 170
Keywords waveguide NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We have further studied the effect of subjecting a superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) element made from an NbN thin film to microwave radiation. Since the photon energy is weak, the microwave radiation does not simply heat the film, but generates a bi-static state, switching between the superconducting and normal states, upon the application of a small voltage bias. Indeed, a relaxation oscillation of a few MHz has previously been reported in this regime [1]. Switching between the superconducting and normal states modulates the reflected microwave pump power from the device. A simple homodyne setup readily recovers the spontaneous switching waveform in the time domain. The switching frequency is a function of both the bias voltage (DC heating) and the applied microwave power. In this work, we use a 0.8 THz HEB waveguide mixer for the purpose of demonstration. The applied microwave pump, coupled through a directional coupler, is at 1 GHz. Since the pump power is of the order of a few μW, a room temperature amplifier is sufficient to amplify the reflected pump power from the HEB mixer, which beats with the microwave source in a homodyne set-up. After further amplification, the switching waveform is passed onto a frequency counter. The typical frequency of the switching pulses is 3-5 MHz. It is found that the digital frequency count increases with higher microwave pump power. When the HEB mixer is subjected to additional optical power at 0.8 THz, the frequency count also increases. When we vary the incident optical power by using a wire grid attenuator, a linear relationship is observed between the frequency count and the applied optical power, over at least an order of magnitude of power. This phenomenon can be exploited to develop a digital power meter, using a very simple electronics setup. Further experiments are under way to determine the range of linearity and the accuracy of calibration transfer from the microwave to the THz regime. References 1. Y. Zhuang, and S. Yngvesson, “Detection and interpretation of bistatic effects in NbN HEB devices,” Proc. 13 th Int. Symp. Space THz Tech., 2002, pp. 463–472.
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Call Number Serial 1366
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Author Pentin, I. V.; Smirnov, A. V.; Ryabchun, S. A.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Vaks, V. L.; Pripolzin, S. I.; Paveliev, D. G.
Title Heterodyne source of THz range based on semiconductor superlattice multiplier Type Conference Article
Year 2011 Publication IRMMW-THz Abbreviated Journal IRMMW-THz
Volume Issue (up) Pages 1-2
Keywords NbN HEB mixer, superlattice
Abstract We present the results of our studies of the possibility of developing a heterodyne receiver incorporating a hot-electron bolometer mixer as the detector and a semiconductor superlattice multiplier driven by a reference synthesizer as the local oscillator. We observe that such a local oscillator offers enough power in the terahertz range to pump the HEB into the operating state.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number 6105209 Serial 1384
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Author Cherednichenko, S.; Drakinskiy, V.; Lecomte, B.; Dauplay, F.; Krieg, J.-M.; Delorme, Y.; Feret, A.; Hübers, H.-W.; Semenov, A.D.; Gol’tsman, G.N.
Title Terahertz heterodyne array based on NbN HEB mixers Type Abstract
Year 2008 Publication Proc. 19th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue (up) Pages 43
Keywords NbN HEB mixers array
Abstract A 16 pixel heterodyne receiver for 2.5 THz is been developed based on NbN superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers. The receiver uses a quasioptical RF coupling approach where HEB mixers are integrated into double dipole antennas on 1.5μm thick Si3N4 / SiO2 membranes. Miniature mirrors (one per pixel) and back short for the antenna were used to design the output mixer beam profile. The camera design allows all 16 pixel IF readout in parallel. The gain bandwidth of the HEB mixers on Si3N4 / SiO 2 membranes was found to be about 3 GHz, when an MgO buffer layers is applied on the membrane. We will also present the progress in the camera heterodyne tests.
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1411
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Author Zhang, W.; Li, N.; Jiang, L.; Ren, Y.; Yao, Q.-J.; Lin, Z.-H.; Shi, S.-C.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title Dependence of noise temperature of quasi-optical superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers on bath temperature and optical-axis displacement Type Conference Article
Year 2008 Publication Proc. SPIE Abbreviated Journal Proc. SPIE
Volume 6840 Issue (up) Pages 684007 (1 to 8)
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, noise temperature, LO power
Abstract It is known that the increase of bath temperature results in the decrease of critical current of superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers owing to the depression of superconductivity, thus leading to the degradation of the mixer’s sensitivity. Here we report our study on the effect of bath temperature on the heterodyne mixing performance of quasi-optical superconducting NbN HEB mixers incorporated with a two-arm log-spiral antenna. The correlation between the bath temperature, critical current, LO power requirement and noise temperature is investigated at 0.5 THz. Furthermore, the heterodyne mixing performance of quasi-optical superconducting NbN HEB mixers is examined while there is an optical-axis displacement between the center of the extended hemispherical silicon lens and the superconducting NbN HEB device, which is placed on the back of the lens. Detailed experimental results and analysis are presented.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Spie Place of Publication Editor Zhang, C.; Zhang, X.-C.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference Terahertz Photonics
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1415
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Author Cherednichenko, S.; Drakinskiy, V.; Baubert, J.; Lecomte, B.; Dauplay, F.; Krieg, J.-M.; Delorme, Y.; Feret, A.; Hübers, H.-W.; Semenov, A. D.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title 2.5 THz multipixel heterodyne receiver based on NbN HEB mixers Type Abstract
Year 2007 Publication Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 112
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract A 16 pixel heterodyne receiver for 2.5 THz has been developed based on NbN superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers. The receiver uses a quasioptical RF coupling approach where HEB mixers are integrated into double dipole antennas on 1.5μm thick Si3N4 / SiO2 membranes. Spherical mirrors (one per pixel) and backshort distance from the antenna have been used to design the output mixer beam profile. The camera design allows all 16 pixel IF readout in parallel. Measurements of the mixers sensitivity and the input RF band are presented, and compared against calculations.
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1419
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Author Semenov, A.; Richter, H.; Smirnov, A.; Günther, B.; Hübers, H.-W.; Il’in, K.; Siegel, M.; Gol’tsman, G.; Drakinskiy, V.; Merkel, H.; Karamarkovic, J.
Title Development of HEB mixers for GREAT and for security screening Type Abstract
Year 2007 Publication Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 184
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, GREAT
Abstract We report the study on the quasioptical coupling efficiency and the gain bandwidth of NbN hot-electron bolometer mixers developed for the 4.7 THz channel of the German receiver for Astronomy at THz-frequencies (GREAT) and for security screening at subterahertz frequencies. Radiation coupling efficiency and directive properties of integrated lens antennas with log-spiral, log-periodic and double-slot planar feeds coupled to a hot-electron bolometer were experimentally studied at frequencies from 1 THz to 6 THz and compared with simulations based on the method of moments and the physical-optics ray tracing. For all studied antennas the modeled spectral dependence of the coupling efficiency fits to the experimental data obtained with both Fourier transform spectroscopy and noise temperature measurements only if the complex impedance of the bolometer is explicitly taken into account. Our experimental data did not indicate any noticeable contribution of the quantum noise to the system noise temperature. The experimentally observed deviation of the beam pattern from the model prediction increases with frequency and is most likely due to a non- ideality of the presently used lenses. Study of the intermediate frequency mixer gain at local oscillator (LO) frequencies between 2.5 THz and 0.3 THz showed an increase of the gain bandwidth at low LO frequencies that was understood as the contribution of the direct interaction of magnetic vortices with the radiation field. We have found that the non- homogeneous hot-spot model more adequately describes variation of the intermediate frequency bandwidth with the applied local oscillator power than any of uniform mixer models. The state-of-the-day performance of the GREAT 4.7-THz channel and the 0.8-THz security scanner will be presented.
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1420
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Author Ryabchun, Sergey; Tong, Cheuk-yu Edward; Blundell, Raymond; Kimberk, Robert; Gol’tsman, Gregory
Title Stabilisation of a terahertz hot-electron bolometer mixer with microwave feedback control Type Conference Article
Year 2007 Publication Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 193-198
Keywords waveguide NbN HEB mixers, Allan variance, stability
Abstract We report on implementation of microwave feedback control loop to stabilise the performance of an HEB mixer receiver. It is shown that the receiver sensitivity increases by a factor of 4 over a 16-minute scan, and the corresponding Allan time increases up to 10 seconds, as opposed to an open loop value of 1 second. Our experiments also demonstrate that the receiver sensitivity is limited by the intermediate frequency chain.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
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Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1421
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Author Jiang, Ling; Miao, Wei; Zhang, Wen; Li, Ning; Lin, Zhen Hui; Yao, Qi Jun; Shi, Sheng-Cai; Svechnikov, Sergey I.; Vakhtomin, Yury B.; Antipov, Sergey V.; Voronov, Boris M.; Kaurova, Natalia S.; Gol'tsman, Gregory N.
Title Characterization of quasi-optical NbN phonon-cooled superconducting HEB mixers Type Conference Article
Year 2006 Publication Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 55-58
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract In this paper, we thoroughly investigate the performance of quasi-optical NbN phonon-cooled superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers, cryogenically cooled by a close-cycled 4-K refrigerator at 500 GI-1z and 850 GHz. The uncorrected lowest receiver noise Abstract---In temperatures measured are 800 K at 500 CHz without anti-reflection coating, and 1000 K @ 850 GHz with a 50 11M thick Mylar anti-reflection coating. The dependence of receiver noise temperature on the critical current and bath temperature of HEB mixer is also investigated here. Lifetime of quasi-optical superconducting NbN HEB mixers of different volumes, room temperature resistances, and critical temperatures are thoroughly studied. Increased room temperature resistance with time over the initial resistance changes between 1 and 1.2, and the reduced critical current with time over the initial value fluctuates slightly around 0.7 for most HEB mixers even of different volumes, room temperature resistances, and critical temperatures. The critical current degrades sharply vvhile room temperature resistance varies over 1.25.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1435
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Author Gao, J.R.; Hiajenius, M.; Yang, Z.Q.; Klapwijk, T.M.; Miao, W.; Shi, S. C.; Voronov, B.; Gortsman, G.
Title Direct comparison of the sensitivity of a spiral and a twin-slot antenna coupled HEB mixer at 1.6 THz Type Conference Article
Year 2006 Publication Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 59-62
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract To make a direct comparison of the sensitivity between a spiral and a twin slot antenna coupled HEB mixer, we designed both types of mixers and fabricated them in a single processing run and on the same wafer. Both mixers have similar dimensions of NbN bridges (1.5-2 pm x0.2 pm). At 1.6 THz we obtained a nearly identical receiver noise temperature from both mixers (only 5% difference), which is in a good agreement with the simulation based on semi analytical models for both antennas. In addition, by using a bandpass filter to reduce the direct detection effect and lowering the bath temperature to 2.4 K, we measured the lowest receiver noise temperature of 700 K at 1.63 THz using the twin-slot antenna mixer.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1436
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Author Baselmans, J. J. A.; Baryshev, A.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Influence of the direct response on the heterodyne sensitivity of hot electron bolometer mixers Type Abstract
Year 2006 Publication Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue (up) Pages 81
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We present a detailed experimental study of the direct detection effect in a small volume (0.15pm x lpm) NbN hot electron bolometer mixer. It is a quasioptical mixer with a twin slot antenna designed for 700 GHz and the measurement was done at a LO frequency of 670 GHz. The direct detection effect is characterized by a change in the mixer bias current when switching broadband radiation from a 300 K hot load to a 77 K cold load in a standard Y factor measurement. The result is, depending on the receiver under study, an increase or decrease in the receiver noise temperature. We find that the small signal noise temperature, which is the noise temperature that would be observed without the presence of the direct detection effect, and thus the one that is relevant for an astronomical observation, is 20% lower than the noise temperature obtained using 300 K and 77 K calibration loads. Thus, in our case the direct detection effect reduces the mixer sensitivity. These results are in good agreement with previous measurement at THz frequencies [1]. Other experiments report an increase in mixer sensitivity [2]. To analyze this discrepancy we have designed a separate set of experiments to find out the physical origin of the direct detection effect. Possible candidates are the bias current dependence of the mixer gain and the bias current dependence of the IF match. We measured directly the change in mixer IF match and receiver gain due to the direct detection effect. From these measurements we conclude that the direct detection effect is caused by a combination of bias current reduction when switching form the 77 K to the 300 K load in combination with the bias current dependence of the receiver gain. The bias current dependence of the receiver gain is shown to be mainly caused by the current dependence of the mixer gain. We also find that an increase in receiver sensitivity due to the direct detection effect is only possible if the noise temperature change due to the direct detection is dominated by the mixer-amplifier IF match. [1] J.J.A. Baselmans, A. Baryshev, S.F. Reker, M. Hajenius, J.R. Gao, T.M. Klapwijk, Yu.Vachtomin, S. Maslennikov, S. Antipov, B. Voronov, and G. Gol'tsman., Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 163503 (2005). [2] S. Svechnokov, A. Verevkin, B. Voronov, E. Menschikov. E. Gershenzon, G. Gol'tsman, 9th Int. Symp. On Space THz. Techn., 45, (1999).
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1437
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