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Author Finkel, M. I.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Vachtomin, Yu. B.; Svechnikov, S. I.; Smirnov, K. V.; Seleznev, V. A.; Korotetskaya, Yu. P.; Kaurova, N. S.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Hot electron bolometer mixer for 20 – 40 THz frequency range Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication (up) Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 393-397
Keywords IR NbN HEB mixers
Abstract The developed HEB mixer was based on a 5 nm thick NbN film deposited on a GaAs substrate. The active area of the film was patterned as a 30×20 μm 2 strip and coupled with a 50 Ohm coplanar line deposited in situ. An extended hemispherical germanium lens was used to focus the LO radiation on the mixer. The responsivity of the mixer was measured in a direct detection mode in the 25÷64 THz frequency range. The noise performance of the mixer and the directivity of the receiver were investigated in a heterodyne mode. A 10.6 μm wavelength CW CO 2 laser was utilized as a local oscillator.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Göteborg, Sweden 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 369
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Author Zhang, W.; Jiang, L.; Lin, Z. H.; Yao, Q. J.; Li, J.; Shi, S. C.; Svechnikov, S. I.; Vachtomin, Yu. B.; Antipov, S. V.; Voronov, B. M.; Kaurova, N. S.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Development of a quasi-optical NbN superconducting HEB mixer Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication (up) Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 209-213
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract In this paper, we report the performance of a quasi-optical NbN superconducting HEB (hot electron bolometer) mixer measured at 500 and 850GHz. The quasi-optical NbN superconducting HEB mixer is cryogenically cooled by a 4-K close-cycled refrigerator. Measured receiver noise temperature at 850 and 500GHz are 3000K and 2500K respectively with wire grid as beamsplitter, while the lowest receiver noise temperature is found to be approximately 1200K with Mylar film. The theoretical receiver noise temperature (taking into account the elliptical polarization of log-spiral antenna) is consistent with measured one. The receiver noise temperature and conversion gain with 15-μm Mylar film as the beamsplitter at 500GHz are thoroughly investigated for different LO pumping levels and dc biases. The stability of the mixer’s IF output power is also demonstrated.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1470
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Author Yang, Z. Q.; Hajenius, M.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Gao, J.R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title Improved sensitivity of NbN hot electron bolometer mixers by vacuum baking Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication (up) Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 222-225
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We find that the sensitivity of heterodyne receivers based on superconducting hot-electron bolometer (HEB) in- creases by 25 − 30% after baking at 85 o C and in a high vacuum. The devices studied are twin-slot antenna coupled HEB mixers with a small NbN bridge of 1×0.15 μm 2 . The mixer noise temperature, gain, and resistance versus temperature curve of a HEB before and after baking are compared and analyzed. We show that baking reduces the intrinsic noise of the mixer by 37 % and makes the superconducting transition of the bridge and the contacts sharper. We argue that the reduction of the noise is due to the improvement of the transparency of the contact/film interface. The lowest receiver noise temperature of 700 K is measured at a local oscillator frequency of 1.63 THz and a bath temperature of 4.3 K.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1471
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Author Loudkov, D.; Tong, C.-Y.E.; Blundell, R.; Kaurova, N.; Grishina, E.; Voronov, B.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title An investigation of the performance of the waveguide superconducting HEB mixer at different RF embedding impedances Type Conference Article
Year 2005 Publication (up) Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 226-229
Keywords waveguide NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We have conducted an investigation of the performance of superconducting hot-electron bolometric (HEB) mixer at 800 GHz as a function of the embedding impedance of the waveguide embedding circuit. Using a single half-height mixer block, we have developed three different mixer chip configurations, offering nominal embedding resistances of 70, 35, and 15 Ohms. Both the High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software and scaled model impedance measurements were employed in the design process. Two batches of HEB mixers were fabricated to these designs using 3-4 nm thick NbN thin film. The mixers were characterized through receiver noise temperature measurements and Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) scans. Briefly, a minimum receiver noise temperature of 440 K was measured at a local oscillator frequency 850 GHz for a mixer of normal state resistance 62 Ohms incorporated into a circuit offering a nominal embedding impedance of 70 Ohms. We conclude from our data that, for low noise operation, the normal state resistance of the HEB mixer element should be close to that of the embedding impedance of the mixer mount.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1472
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Author Baryshev, A.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Reker, S. F.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Vachtomin, Yu.; Maslennikov, S.; Antipov, S.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Direct detection effect in hot electron bolometer mixers Type Abstract
Year 2005 Publication (up) Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 463-464
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, effect of direct detection, direct detection effect
Abstract NbN phonon cooled hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers are currently the most sensitive heterodyne detectors at frequencies above 1.2 THz. They combine a good sensitivity (8-15 times the quantum limit), an IF bandwidth of the order of 4-6 GHz and a wide RF bandwidth from 0.7-5.2 THz. However, for use in a space based observatory, such as Herschel, it is of vital importance that the Local Oscillator (LO) power requirement of the mixer is compatible with the low output power of present day THz LO sources. This can be achieved by reducing the mixer volume and critical current. However, the large RF bandwidth and low LO power requirement of such a mixer result in a direct detection effect, characterized by a change in the bias current of the HEB when changing the RF signal from a black body load at 300 K to one at 77 K. As a result the measured sensitivity using a 300 K and 77 K calibration load differs significantly from the small signal sensitivity relevant for astronomical observations. In this article we describe a set of dedicated experiments to characterize the direct detection effect for a small volume quasi-optical NbN phonon cooled HEB mixer. We measure the direct detection effect in a small volume (0.15 μm · 1 μm · 3.5 nm) quasi- optical NbN phonon cooled HEB mixer at 1.6 THz. We found that the small signal sensitivity of the receiver is underestimated by approximately 35% due to the direct detection effect and that the optimal operating point is shifted to higher bias voltages when using calibration loads of 300 K and 77 K. Using a 200 GHz wide band-pass filter at the 4.2 K the direct detection effect virtually disappears. Heterodyne response measurements using water vapor absorption line in a gas cell confirms the existence and a magnitude of a direct detection effect. We also propose a theoretical explanation using uniform electron heating model. This direct detection effect has important implications for the calibration procedure of these receivers in real telescope systems. We are developing Nb HEBs for a large-format, diffusion-cooled hot electron bolometer (HEB) array submillimeter camera. The goal is to produce a 64 pixel array together with the University of Arizona to be used on the HHT on Mt Graham. It is designed to detect in the 850 GHz atmospheric window. We have fabricated Nb HEBs using a new angle- deposition process, which had previously produced high quality Nb-Au bilayer HEB devices at Yale. [1] We have characterized these devices using heterodyne mixing at ~30 GHz to compare to 345 GHz tests at the University of Arizona. We can also directly compare our Nb HEB mixers to SIS mixers in this same 345 GHz system. This allows us to rigorously calibrate the system’s losses and extract the mixer noise temperature in a well characterized mixer block, before undertaking the 850 GHz system. Here we give a report on the initial devices we have fabricated and characterized. * Department of Applied Physics, Yale University ** Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona [1] Applied Physics Letters 84, Number 8; p.1404-7, Feb 23 (2004)
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1475
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Author Maslennikov, S. N.; Finkel, M. I.; Antipov, S. V.; Polyakov, S. L.; Zhang, W.; Ozhegov, R.; Vachtomin, Yu. B.; Svechnikov, S. I.; Smirnov, K. V.; Korotetskaya, Yu. P.; Kaurova, N. S.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.
Title Spiral antenna coupled and directly coupled NbN HEB mixers in the frequency range from 1 to 70 THz Type Conference Article
Year 2006 Publication (up) Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 177-179
Keywords directly coupled NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We investigate both antenna coupled and directly coupled HEB mixers at several LO frequencies within the range of 2.5 THz to 70 THz. H20 (2.5+10.7 THz), and CO2 (30 THz) gas discharge lasers are used as the local oscillators. The noise temperature of antenna coupled mixers is measured at LO frequencies of 2.5 THz, 3.8 THz, and 30 THz. The results for both antenna coupled and directly coupled mixer types are compared. The devices with in—plane dimensions of 5x5 ,um 2 are pumped by LO radiation at 10.7 THz. The directly coupled HEB demonstrates nearly flat dependence of responsivity on frequency in the range of 25+64 THz.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Paris, France 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 386
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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 (up) Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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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 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 (up) Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
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Area Expedition Conference
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 (up) Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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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 1437
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Author Gao, J. R.; Hajenius, M.; Tichelaar, F. D.; Voronov, B.; Grishina, E.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Gol'tsman, G.; Zorman, C. A.
Title Can NbN films on 3C-SiC/Si change the IF bandwidth of hot electron bolometer mixers? Type Conference Article
Year 2006 Publication (up) Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 17th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 187-189
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We realized ultra thin NbN films sputtered grown on a 3C-SiC/Si substrate. The film with a thickness of 3.5-4.5 nm shows a 1', of 11.8 K, which is the highest I`, observed among ultra thin NbN films on different substrates. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies show that the film has a monocrystalline structure, confirming the epitaxial growth on the 3C-SiC. Based on a two-temperature model and input parameters from standard NbN films on Si, simulations predict that the new film can increase the IF bandwidth of a HEB mixer by about a factor of 2 in comparison to the standard films. In addition, we find standard NbN films on Si with a T c of 9.4 K have a thickness of around 5.5 nm, being thicker than expected (3.5 nm).
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1439
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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 (up) 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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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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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 (up) Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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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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 (up) Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 18th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue 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 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 (up) 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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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1411
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Author Semenov, A.; Richter, H.; Hübers, H.-W.; Petrenko, D.; Tretyakov, I.; Ryabchun, S.; Finkel, M.; Kaurova, N.; Gol’tsman, G.; Risacher, C.; Ricken, O.; Güsten, R.
Title Optimization of the intermediate frequency bandwidth in the THz HEB mixers Type Abstract
Year 2014 Publication (up) Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 25th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 54
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We report on the studies of the intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth of quasi-optically coupled NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers which are aimed at the optimization of the mixer performance at terahertz frequencies. Extension of the IF bandwidth due to the contribution of electron diffusion to the heat removal from NbN microbolometers has been already demonstrated for NbN HEBs at subterahertz frequencies. However, reducing the size of the microbolometer causes degradation of the noise temperature. Using in-situ multilayer manufacturing process we succeeded to improve the transparency of the contacts for electrons which go away from microbolometer to the metallic antenna. The improved transparency and hence coupling efficiency counterbalances the noise temperature degradation. HEB mixers were tested in a laboratory heterodyne receiver with a narrow-band cold filter which allowed us to eliminate direct detection. We used a local oscillator with a quantum cascade laser (QCL) at a frequency of 4.745 THz [1] which was developed for the H-Channel of the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT). Both the noise and gain bandwidth were measured in the IF range from 0.5 to 8 GHz using the hot-cold technique and preliminary calibrated IF analyzer with a tunable microwave filter. For optimized HEB geometry we found the noise bandwidth as large as 7 GHz. We compare our results with the conventional and the hot-spot mixer models and show that further extension of the IF bandwidth should be possible via improving the sharpness of the superconducting transition. The cross characterization of the HEB mixer was performed in the test bed of GREAT at the Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie with the same QCL LO and delivered results which were consistent with the laboratory studies.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1359
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