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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 (down) Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1366
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Author Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Milostnaya, I.; Antipov, A.; Smirnov, K.; Morozov, D.; Korneev, A.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.; Stysz, W.; Wegrzecki, M.; Bar, J.; Grabiec, P.; Gorska, M.; Pearlman, A.; Cross, A.; Kitaygorsky, J.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Registration of infrared single photons by a two-channel receiver based on fiber-coupled superconducting single-photon detectors Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication (down) Proc. 2-nd CAOL Abbreviated Journal Proc. 2-nd CAOL
Volume 2 Issue Pages 282-285
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract Single-photon detectors (SPDs) are the foundation of all quantum communications (QC) protocols. Among different classes of SPDs currently studied, NbN superconducting SPDs (SSPDs) are established as the best devices for ultrafast counting of single photons in the infrared (IR) wavelength range. The SSPDs are nanostructured, 100 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ in total area, superconducting meanders, patterned by electron lithography in ultra-thin NbN films. Their operation has been explained within a phenomenological hot-electron photoresponse model. We present the design and performance of a novel, two-channel SPD receiver, based on two fiber-coupled NbN SSPDs. The receivers have been developed for fiber-based QC systems, operational at 1.3 /spl mu/m and 1.55 /spl mu/m telecommunication wavelengths. They operate in the temperature range from 4.2 K to 2 K, in which the NbN SSPDs exhibit their best performance. The receiver unit has been designed as a cryostat insert, placed inside a standard liquid-helium storage dewar. The input of the receiver consists of a pair of single-mode optical fibers, equipped with the standard FC connectors and kept at room temperature. Coupling between the SSPD and the fiber is achieved using a specially designed, precise micromechanical holder that places the fiber directly on top of the SSPD nanostructure. Our receivers achieve the quantum efficiency of up to 7% for near-IR photons, with the coupling efficiency of about 30%. The response time was measured to be <300 ps and it was limited by our read-out electronics. The jitter of fiber-coupled SSPDs is <35 ps and their dark-count rate is below 1 s/sup -1/. The presented performance parameters show that our single-photon receivers are fully applicable for quantum-correlation-type QC systems, including practical quantum cryptography.
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Area Expedition Conference Second International Conference on Advanced Optoelectronics and Lasers
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1462
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Author Ryabchun, S. A.; Tretyakov, I. V.; Finkel, M. I.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Kaurova, N. S.; Seleznev, V. A.; Voronov, B. M.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Fabrication and characterisation of NbN HEB mixers with in situ gold contacts Type Conference Article
Year 2008 Publication (down) Proc. 19th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 19th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 62-67
Keywords HEB, mixer, NbN, in-situ contacts
Abstract We present our recent results of the fabrication and testing of NbN hot-electron bolometer mixers with in situ gold contacts. An intermediate frequency bandwidth of about 6 GHz has been measured for the mixers made of a 3.5-nm NbN film on a plane Si substrate with in situ gold contacts, compared to 3.5 GHz for devices made of the same film with ex situ gold contacts. The increase in the intermediate frequency bandwidth is attributed to additional diffusion cooling through the improved contacts, which is further supported by the its dependence on the bridge length: intermediate frequency bandwidths of 3.5 GHz and 6 GHz have been measured for devices with lengths of 0.35 μm and 0.16 μm respectively at a local oscillator frequency of 300 GHz near the superconducting transition. At a local oscillator frequency of 2.5 THz the receiver has offered a DSB noise temperature of 950 K. When compared to the previous result of 1300 K obtained at the same local oscillator frequency for devices fabricated with an ex situ route, such a low value of the noise temperature may also be attributed to the improved gold contacts.
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Publisher Place of Publication Groningen, Netherlands Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 412
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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 (down) Proc. 19th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue 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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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 1411
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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 (down) Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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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 1419
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