|
|
Ekstrom, H., Karasik, B., Weikle, R., Yngvesson, K. S., Gol’tsman, G., Kollberg, E., et al. (1993). Mixers using superconducting Nb films in the resistive state. In 23rd European Microwave Conf. (pp. 787–789).
Abstract: The mixing of 20 GHz radiation in a Nb superconducting film in the resistive state was studied. The experiment gave evidence of electron-heating to be the origin of the non-linear phenomenon. The requirements on the operation mode and on the film parameters in order to obtain small conversion losses or even gain are determined. Our measurements indicate a conversion loss of about 6-8 dB. The hot-electron bolometer is considered to be very promising for use in heterodyne receivers in a wide frequency range from microwaves to terahertz frequencies.
|
|
|
|
Gershenzon, E. M., & Gol'tsman, G. N. (1993). Hot electron superconductive mixers. In Proc. 4th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 618–622).
|
|
|
|
Kollberg, E. L., Gershenzon, E., Goltsman, G., & Yngvesson, K. S. (1992). Hot electron mixers, the potential competition. In Proc. ESA Symp. on Photon Detectors for Space Instrumentation (pp. 201–206).
Abstract: There is an urgent need in radio astronomy for low noise heterodyne receivers for frequencies above about 500 GHz. It is not certain that mixers based on superconducting quasiparticle tunnelling (SIS mixers) may turn out to be the answer to this need. In order to try to find an alternative way for realizing low noise heterodyne receivers for submillimeter waves, so called hot electron bolometric effects for mixing are now being investigated. Two basically different approaches are tried, one based on semiconductors and one on superconductors. Both methods are briefly discussed in this overview paper.
|
|
|
|
Hübers, H. - W., Semenov, A., Richter, H., Birk, M., Krocka, M., Mair, U., et al. (2002). Terahertz heterodyne receiver with a hot-electron bolometer mixer. In J. Wold, & J. Davidson (Eds.), Proc. Far-IR, Sub-mm, and mm Detector Technology Workshop.
Abstract: During the past decade major advances have been made regarding low noise mixers for terahertz (THz) heterodyne receivers. State of the art hot-electron-bolometer (HEB) mixers have noise temperatures close to the quantum limit and require less than a µW power from the local oscillator (LO). The technology is now at a point where the performance of a practical receiver employing such mixer, rather than the figures of merit of the mixer itself, are of major concern. We have incorporated a phonon-cooled NbN HEB mixer in a 2.5 THz heterodyne receiver and investigated the performance of the receiver. This yields important information for the development of heterodyne receivers such as GREAT (German receiver for astronomy at THz frequencies aboard SOFIA)[1] and TELIS (Terahertz limb sounder), a balloon borne heterodyne receiver for atmospheric research [2]. Both are currently under development at DLR.
|
|
|
|
Hajenius, M., Baselmans, J. J. A., Gao, J. R., Klapwijk, T. M., de Korte, P. A. J., Voronov, B., et al. (2004). Low noise NbN superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers at 1.9 and 2.5 THz. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 17(5), S224–S228.
Abstract: NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometer mixers (HEBs) have been realized with negligible contact resistance between the bolometer itself and the contact structure. Using a combination of in situ cleaning of the NbN film and the use of an additional superconducting interlayer of a 10 nm NbTiN layer between the Au of the contact structure and the NbN film superior noise temperatures have been obtained as low as 950 K at 2.5 THz and 750 K at 1.9 THz. Here we address in detail the DC characterization of these devices, the interface transparencies between the bolometers and the contacts and the consequences of these factors on the mixer performance.
|
|
