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Author Khosropanah, Pourya
Title NbN and NbTiN hot electron bolometer THz mixers Type Book Whole
Year 2003 Publication (down) Chalmers University of Technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords HEB mixer, hot electron bolometer mixer, NbN, NbTiN, superconducting detector, heterodyne receiver, THz mixer, submillimeter mixer, quasioptical receiver, double slot antenna, twin slot antenna, spiral antenna, receiver noise, FTS, Fourier Transform Spectrometer
Abstract The thesis reports the development of Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixers for radio astronomy heterodyne receivers in THz frequency range. Part of this work is the fabrication of HEB devices, which are based on NbN or NbTiN superconducting thin films (â‰<a4>5 nm). They are integrated with wideband spiral or double-slot planar antennas. The mixer chips are incorporated into a quasi-optical receiver. The experimental part of this work focuses on the characterization of the receiver as a whole, and the HEB mixers as a part. Double side band receiver noise temperature and the IF bandwidth are reported for frequencies from 0.7 THz up to 2.6 THz. The spectrum of the direct response of HEB integrated with dierent antennas are measured using Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS). The effect of the bolometer size on total receiver performance and the LO power requirements is also discussed. A high-yield and reliable process for fabrication of NbN HEB mixers have been achieved. Over 100 devices with different bolometer geometry, film property and also different antennas have been fabricated and measured. The measured data enables us to discuss the impact of different parameters to the receiver overall performance.

This work has provided NbN HEB mixers to the following receivers:

TREND (Terahertz REceiver with NbN HEB Device) operating at 1.25-1.5 THz, installed in AST/RO Submillimeter Wave Telescope, Amundsen/Scott South Pole Station, in 2002-2003.

Band 6-low (1.410-1.700 THz) and 6-high (1.700-1.920 THz) of the HIFI (Heterodyne Instrument for Far Infra-red) in the Herschel Space Observatory, due to launch in 2007 by ESA (European Space Agency).

Besides, there has been continuous efforts to develop better models to explain the mixer performance more accurately. They are based on two temperature model for electrons and phonons and solving one-dimensional heat balance equations along the bolometer. The principles of these models are illustrated and the calculated results are compared with measured data.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis Ph.D. thesis
Publisher Chalmers University of Technology Place of Publication Göteborg Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 910
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Author De Luca, M.; Gupta, H.; Neufeld, D.; Gerin, M.; Teyssier, D.; Drouin, B. J.; Pearson, J. C.; Lis, D. C.; Monje, R.; Phillips, T. G.; Goicoechea, J. R.; Godard, B.; Falgarone, E.; Coutens, A.; Bell, T. A.
Title Herschel/HIFI discovery of HCL+ in the interstellar medium Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication (down) Astrophys. J. Lett. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 751 Issue 2 Pages L37
Keywords HEB mixer applications, HIFI, Herschel
Abstract The radical ion HCl+, a key intermediate in the chlorine chemistry of the interstellar gas, has been identified for the first time in the interstellar medium with the Herschel Space Observatory's Heterodyne Instrument for the Far-Infrared. The ground-state rotational transition of H35Cl+, 2Π3/2 J = 5/2-3/2, showing Λ-doubling and hyperfine structure, is detected in absorption toward the Galactic star-forming regions W31C (G10.6-0.4) and W49N. The complex interstellar absorption features are modeled by convolving in velocity space the opacity profiles of other molecular tracers toward the same sources with the fine and hyperfine structure of HCl+. This structure is derived from a combined analysis of optical data from the literature and new laboratory measurements of pure rotational transitions, reported in the accompanying Letter by Gupta et al. The models reproduce well the interstellar absorption, and the frequencies inferred from the astronomical observations are in exact agreement with those calculated using spectroscopic constants derived from the laboratory data. The detection of H37Cl+ toward W31C, with a column density consistent with the expected 35Cl/37Cl isotopic ratio, provides additional evidence for the identification. A comparison with the chemically related molecules HCl and H2Cl+ yields an abundance ratio of unity with both species (HCl+ : H2Cl+ : HCl ~ 1). These observations also yield the unexpected result that HCl+ accounts for 3%-5% of the gas-phase chlorine toward W49N and W31C, values several times larger than the maximum fraction (~1%) predicted by chemical models.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1092
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Author Bruderer, S.; Benz, A. O.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Melchior, M.; Doty, S. D.; van der Tak, F.; Stäuber, P.; Wampfler, S. F.; Dedes, C.; Yıldız, U. A.; Pagani, L.; Giannini, T.; de Graauw, Th.; Whyborn, N.; Teyssier, D.; Jellema, W.; Shipman, R.; Schieder, R.; Honingh, N.; Caux, E.; Bächtold, W.; Csillaghy, A.; Monstein, C.; Bachiller, R.; Baudry, A.; Benedettini, M.; Bergin, E.; Bjerkeli, P.; Blake, G. A.; Bontemps, S.; Braine, J.; Caselli, P.; Cernicharo, J.; Codella, C.; Daniel, F.; di Giorgio, A. M.; Dominik, C.; Encrenaz, P.; Fich, M.; Fuente, A.; Goicoechea, J. R.; Helmich, F.; Herczeg, G. J.; Herpin, F.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Jacq, T.; Johnstone, D.; Jørgensen, J. K.; Kristensen, L. E.; Larsson, B.; Lis, D.; Liseau, R.; Marseille, M.; McCoey, C.; Melnick, G.; Neufeld, D.; Nisini, B.; Olberg, M.; Parise, B.; Pearson, J. C.; Plume, R.; Risacher, C.; Santiago-García, J.; Saraceno, P.; Shipman, R.; Tafalla, M.; van Kempen, T. A.; Visser, R.; Wyrowski, F.
Title Herschel/HIFI detections of hydrides towards AFGL 2591. Envelope emission versus tenuous cloud absorption Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication (down) Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 521 Issue Pages L44 (1 to 7)
Keywords HEB mixer applications, HIFI, Herschel
Abstract The Heterodyne Instrument for the Far Infrared (HIFI) onboard the Herschel Space Observatory allows the first observations of light diatomic molecules at high spectral resolution and in multiple transitions. Here, we report deep integrations using HIFI in different lines of hydrides towards the high-mass star forming region AFGL 2591. Detected are CH, CH+, NH, OH+, H2O+, while NH+ and SH+ have not been detected. All molecules except for CH and CH+ are seen in absorption with low excitation temperatures and at velocities different from the systemic velocity of the protostellar envelope. Surprisingly, the CH(JF,P = 3/22,- – 1/21,+ ) and CH+(J = 1–0, J = 2–1) lines are detected in emission at the systemic velocity. We can assign the absorption features to a foreground cloud and an outflow lobe, while the CH and CH+ emission stems from the envelope. The observed abundance and excitation of CH and CH+ can be explained in the scenario of FUV irradiated outflow walls, where a cavity etched out by the outflow allows protostellar FUV photons to irradiate and heat the envelope at larger distances driving the chemical reactions that produce these molecules.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1083
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Author Pütz, P.; Honingh, C. E.; Jacobs, K.; Justen, M.; Schultz, M.; Stutzki, J.
Title Terahertz hot electron bolometer waveguide mixers for GREAT Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication (down) Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal A&A
Volume 542 Issue Pages L2
Keywords HEB mixer, applications
Abstract Context. Supplementing the publications based on the first-light observations with the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT) on SOFIA, we present background information on the underlying heterodyne detector technology. This Letter complements the GREAT instrument Letter and focuses on the mixers itself.

Aims. We describe the superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) detectors that are used as frequency mixers in the L1 (1400 GHz), L2 (1900 GHz), and M (2500 GHz) channels of GREAT. Measured performance of the detectors is presented and background information on their operation in GREAT is given.

Methods. Our mixer units are waveguide-based and couple to free-space radiation via a feedhorn antenna. The HEB mixers are designed, fabricated, characterized, and flight-qualified in-house. We are able to use the full intermediate frequency bandwidth of the mixers using silicon-germanium multi-octave cryogenic low-noise amplifiers with very low input return loss.

Results. Superconducting HEB mixers have proven to be practical and sensitive detectors for high-resolution THz frequency spectroscopy on SOFIA. We show that our niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN) material HEBs on silicon nitride (SiN) membrane substrates have an intermediate frequency (IF) noise roll-off frequency above 2.8 GHz, which does not limit the current receiver IF bandwidth. Our mixer technology development efforts culminate in the first successful operation of a waveguide-based HEB mixer at 2.5 THz and deployment for radioastronomy. A significant contribution to the success of GREAT is made by technological development, thorough characterization and performance optimization of the mixer and its IF interface for receiver operation on SOFIA. In particular, the development of an optimized mixer IF interface contributes to the low passband ripple and excellent stability, which GREAT demonstrated during its initial successful astronomical observation runs.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 907
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Author Benz, A. O.; Bruderer, S.; van Dishoeck, E. F.; Stäuber, P.; Wampfler, S. F.; Melchior, M.; Dedes, C.; Wyrowski, F.; Doty, S. D.; van der Tak, F.; Bächtold, W.; Csillaghy, A.; Megej, A.; Monstein, C.; Soldati, M.; Bachiller, R.; Baudry, A.; Benedettini, M.; Bergin, E.; Bjerkeli, P.; Blake, G. A.; Bontemps, S.; Braine, J.; Caselli, P.; Cernicharo, J.; Codella, C.; Daniel, F.; di Giorgio, A. M.; Dieleman, P.; Dominik, C.; Encrenaz, P.; Fich, M.; Fuente, A.; Giannini, T.; Goicoechea, J. R.; de Graauw, Th.; Helmich, F.; Herczeg, G. J.; Herpin, F.; Hogerheijde, M. R.; Jacq, T.; Jellema, W.; Johnstone, D.; Jørgensen, J. K.; Kristensen, L. E.; Larsson, B.; Lis, D.; Liseau, R.; Marseille, M.; McCoey, C.; Melnick, G.; Neufeld, D.; Nisini, B.; Olberg, M.; Ossenkopf, V.; Parise, B.; Pearson, J. C.; Plume, R.; Risacher, C.; Santiago-García, J.; Saraceno, P.; Schieder, R.; Shipman, R.; Stutzki, J.; Tafalla, M.; Tielens, A. G. G. M.; van Kempen, T. A.; Visser, R.; Yıldız, U. A.
Title Hydrides in young stellar objects: Radiation tracers in a protostar-disk-outflow system Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication (down) Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 521 Issue Pages L35 (1 to 5)
Keywords HEB mixer applications, HIFI, Herschel
Abstract Context. Hydrides of the most abundant heavier elements are fundamental molecules in cosmic chemistry. Some of them trace gas irradiated by UV or X-rays.

Aims. We explore the abundances of major hydrides in W3 IRS5, a prototypical region of high-mass star formation.

Methods. W3 IRS5 was observed by HIFI on the Herschel Space Observatory with deep integration (2500 s) in 8 spectral regions.

Results. The target lines including CH, NH, H3O+, and the new molecules SH+, H2O+, and OH+ are detected. The H2O+ and OH+ J = 1–0 lines are found mostly in absorption, but also appear to exhibit weak emission (P-Cyg-like). Emission requires high density, thus originates most likely near the protostar. This is corroborated by the absence of line shifts relative to the young stellar object (YSO). In addition, H2O+ and OH+ also contain strong absorption components at a velocity shifted relative to W3 IRS5, which are attributed to foreground clouds.

Conclusions. The molecular column densities derived from observations correlate well with the predictions of a model that assumes the main emission region is in outflow walls, heated and irradiated by protostellar UV radiation.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1082
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