|   | 
Details
   web
Records
Author Hübers, Heinz-Wilhelm; Semenov, A.; Richter, H.; Smirnov, K.; Gol'tsman, G.; Voronov, B.
Title Phonon cooled far-infrared hot electron bolometer mixer Type Abstract
Year 2002 Publication NASA/ADS Abbreviated Journal NASA/ADS
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract Heterodyne receivers for applications in astronomy need quantum-limited sensitivity. At frequencies above 1.4 THz superconducting hot electron bolometers (HEB) can be used to achieve this goal. We present results of the development of a quasi-optical phonon-cooled NbN HEB mixer for GREAT, the German heterodyne receiver for SOFIA. Different mixers with logarithmic spiral and double slot feed antennas have been investigated with respect to their noise temperature, conversion loss, linearity and beam pattern at several frequencies between 0.7 THz and 5.2 THz. At 2.5 THz a double sideband noise temperature of 2200 K was achieved. The conversion loss was 16 dB. The response of the mixer was linear up to 400 K load temperature. This performance was verified by measuring an emission line of methanol at 2.5 THz. The results demonstrate that the NbN HEB is very well suited as a mixer for FIR heterodyne receivers.
Address Monterey, CA
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) 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 Far-IR, Sub-mm & MM Detector Technology Workshop, 1-3 April 2002
Notes id.37 Approved no
Call Number Serial 1534
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Semenov, A. D.; Hübers, H.-W.; Richter, H.; Birk, M.; Krocka, M.; Mair, U.; Smirnov, K.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.
Title 2.5 THz heterodyne receiver with NbN hot-electron-bolometer mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2002 Publication Phys. C: Supercond. Abbreviated Journal Phys. C: Supercond.
Volume 372-376 Issue Pages 448-453
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, applications
Abstract We describe a 2.5 THz heterodyne receiver for applications in astronomy and atmospheric research. The receiver employs a superconducting NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron-bolometer mixer and an optically pumped far-infrared gas laser as local oscillator. 2200 K double sideband mixer noise temperature was measured at 2.5 THz across a 1 GHz intermediate frequency bandwidth centred at 1.5 GHz. The total conversion losses were 17 dB. The mixer response was linear at load temperatures smaller than 400 K. The receiver was tested in the laboratory environment by measuring the methanol line in emission. Observed pressure broadening confirms the true heterodyne detection regime of the mixer.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0921-4534 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1526
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Gol’tsman, G. N.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Lipatov, A.; Semenov, A.; Smirnov, K.; Voronov, B.; Dzardanov, A.; Williams, C.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Picosecond superconducting single-photon optical detector Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 79 Issue 6 Pages 705-707
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We experimentally demonstrate a supercurrent-assisted, hotspot-formation mechanism for ultrafast detection and counting of visible and infrared photons. A photon-induced hotspot leads to a temporary formation of a resistive barrier across the superconducting sensor strip and results in an easily measurable voltage pulse. Subsequent hotspot healing in ∼30 ps time frame, restores the superconductivity (zero-voltage state), and the detector is ready to register another photon. Our device consists of an ultrathin, very narrow NbN strip, maintained at 4.2 K and current-biased close to the critical current. It exhibits an experimentally measured quantum efficiency of ∼20% for 0.81 μm wavelength photons and negligible dark counts.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1543
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Hübers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Krabbe, A.; Birk, M.; Wagner, G.; Semenov, A.; Gol’tsman, G.; Voronov, B.; Gershenzon, E.
Title Parylene anti-reflection coating of a quasi-optical hot-electron-bolometric mixer at terahertz frequencies Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication Infrared Physics & Technology Abbreviated Journal Infrared Physics & Technology
Volume 42 Issue 1 Pages 41-47
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, anti-reflection coating
Abstract Parylene C was investigated as anti-reflection coating for silicon at terahertz frequencies. Measurements with a Fourier-transform spectrometer show that the transmittance of pure silicon can be improved by about 30% when applying a layer of Parylene C with a quarter wavelength optical thickness. The 10% bandwidth of this coating extends from 1.5 to 3 THz for a center frequency of 2.3–2.5 THz, where the transmittance is constant. Heterodyne measurements demonstrate that the noise temperature of a hot-electron-bolometric mixer can be reduced significantly by coating the silicon lens of the hybrid antenna with a quarter wavelength Parylene C layer. Compared to the same mixer with an uncoated lens the improvement is about 30% at a frequency of 2.5 THz.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1350-4495 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1548
Permanent link to this record
 

 
Author Semenov, A. D.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title Nonthermal mixing mechanism in a diffusion-cooled hot-electron detector Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 87 Issue 1 Pages 502-510
Keywords NbN HEB mixers, nonthermal
Abstract We present an analysis of a diffusion-cooled hot-electron detector fabricated from clean superconducting material with low transition temperature. The distinctive feature of a clean material, i.e., material with large electron mean free path, is a relatively weak inelastic electron scattering that is not sufficient for the establishment of an elevated thermodynamic electron temperature when the detector is subjected to irradiation. We propose an athermal model of a diffusion-cooled detector that relies on suppression of the superconducting energy gap by the actual dynamic distribution of excess quasiparticles. The resistive state of the device is caused by the electric field penetrating into the superconducting bridge from metal contacts. The dependence of the penetration length on the energy gap delivers the detection mechanism. The sources of the electric noise are equilibrium fluctuations of the number of thermal quasiparticles and frequency dependent shot noise. Using material parameters typical for A1, we evaluate performance of the device in the heterodyne regime at terahertz frequencies. Estimates show that the mixer may have a noise temperature of a few quantum limits and a bandwidth of a few tens of GHz, while the required local oscillator power is in the μW range due to ineffective suppression of the energy gap by quasiparticles with high energies.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher (up) Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0021-8979 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1558
Permanent link to this record