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Author Wei, Jian; Olaya, David; Karasik, Boris S.; Pereverzev, Sergey V.; Sergeev, Andrei V.; Gershenson, Michael E.
Title Ultrasensitive hot-electron nanobolometers for terahertz astrophysics Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Nature Nanotechnology Abbreviated Journal Nature Nanotech
Volume 3 Issue 8 Pages 496-500
Keywords HEB, Ti/NbN, single terahertz photons, detection
Abstract The submillimetre or terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum contains approximately half of the total luminosity of the Universe and 98% of all the photons emitted since the Big Bang. This radiation is strongly absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere, so space-based terahertz telescopes are crucial for exploring the evolution of the Universe. Thermal emission from the primary mirrors in these telescopes can be reduced below the level of the cosmic background by active cooling, which expands the range of faint objects that can be observed. However, it will also be necessary to develop bolometers – devices for measuring the energy of electromagnetic radiation—with sensitivities that are at least two orders of magnitude better than the present state of the art. To achieve this sensitivity without sacrificing operating speed, two conditions are required. First, the bolometer should be exceptionally well thermally isolated from the environment;

second, its heat capacity should be sufficiently small. Here we demonstrate that these goals can be achieved by building a superconducting hot-electron nanobolometer. Its design eliminates the energy exchange between hot electrons and the leads by blocking electron outdiffusion and photon emission. The thermal conductance between hot electrons and the thermal bath, controlled by electron–phonon interactions, becomes very small at low temperatures (10-16 WK-1 at 40 mK). These devices, with a heat capacity of 10-19 J K-1, are sufficiently sensitive to detect single terahertz photons in submillimetre astronomy and other applications based on quantum calorimetry and photon counting.
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ISSN 1748-3387 ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 576
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Author Maezawa, Hiroyuki
Title Application of superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers for terahertz-band astronomy Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication IEICE Trans. Electronics Abbreviated Journal
Volume 98 Issue 3 Pages 196-206
Keywords HEB mixer applications, HEB applications
Abstract Recently, a next-generation heterodyne mixer detector – a hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer employing a superconducting microbridge – has gradually opened up terahertz-band astronomy. The surrounding state-of-the-art technologies including fabrication processes, 4 K cryostats, cryogenic low-noise amplifiers, local oscillator sources, micromachining techniques, and spectrometers, as well as the HEB mixers, have played a valuable role in the development of super-low-noise heterodyne spectroscopy systems for the terahertz band. The current developmental status of terahertz-band HEB mixer receivers and their applications for spectroscopy and astronomy with ground-based, airborne, and satellite telescopes are presented.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1073
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Author Ryabchun, S. A.; Tretyakov, I. V.; Pentin, I. V.; Kaurova, N. S.; Seleznev, V. A.; Voronov, B. M.; Finkel, M. I.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Low-noise wide-band hot-electron bolometer mixer based on an NbN film Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication Radiophys. Quant. Electron. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 52 Issue 8 Pages 576-582
Keywords HEB mixer, in-situ contacts, noise temperature, conversion gain bandwidth, diffusion cooling channel
Abstract We develop and study a hot-electron bolometer mixer made of a two-layer NbN–Au film in situ deposited on a silicon substrate. The double-sideband noise temperature of the mixer is 750 K at a frequency of 2.5 THz. The conversion efficiency measurements show that at the superconducting transition temperature, the intermediate-frequency bandwidth amounts to about 6.5 GHz for a mixer 0.112 μm long. These record-breaking characteristics are attributed to the improved contacts between a sensitive element and a helical antenna and are reached due to using the in situ deposition of NbN and Au layers at certain stages of the process.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 599
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Author Рябчун, С. А.; Третьяков, И. В.; Пентин, И. В; Каурова, Н. С.; Селезнев, В. А; Воронов, Б. М.; Финкель, М. И.; Масленников, С. Н.; Гольцман, Г. Н.
Title Малошумящий широкополосный терагерцовый смеситель на эффекте электронного разогрева в плёнке NbN Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication Известия высших учебных заведений. Радиофизика Abbreviated Journal
Volume 52 Issue 8 Pages 641-648
Keywords HEB mixer, in-situ contacts, noise temperature, conversion gain bandwidth, diffusion cooling channel
Abstract Разработан и исследован смеситель на горячих электронах, изготовленный из двуслойной плёнки NbN-Au, осаждённой на кремневую подложку in situ. Двухполосная шумовая температура устройства составила 750 К на частоте 2.5 ТГц. Измерения эффективности преобразования для смесителя длиной 0.112 мкм вблизи температуры сверхпроводящего перехода показали полосу промежуточных частот около 6.5 ГГц. Эти результаты являются рекордными и были получены за счёт улучшения контактов между чувствительным элементом и спиральной антенной при замене технологического маршрута с нанесением слоёв NbN и Au в отдельных процессах на технологический процесс, в котором данные слои наносятся in situ без нарушения вакуума.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 600
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Author Barends, R.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Current-induced vortex unbinding in bolometer mixers Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Applied Physics Letters Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 87 Issue Pages 263506 (1 to 3)
Keywords HEB mixer numerical model, HEB model, IV-curves, vortex-antivortex, Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless theory, diffusion cooling channel, diffusion channel, distributed HEB model, distributed model, self-heating effect, temperature profile
Abstract We present a description of the current-voltage characteristics of hot electron bolometers in terms of the current-dependent intrinsic resistive transition of NbN films. We find that, by including this current dependence, we can correctly predict the complete current-voltage characteristics, showing excellent agreement with measurements for both low and high bias and for small as well as large devices. It is assumed that the current dependence is due to vortex-antivortex unbinding as described in the Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless theory. The presented approach will be useful in guiding device optimization for noise and bandwidth.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 604
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Author Karasik, Boris S.; Cantor, Robin
Title Optical NEP in hot-electron nanobolometers Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages 1-7
Keywords HEB, Ti, NEP, femtowatt, SAFARI, SPICA, 650 GHz, 0.65 THz, 460 um, twin slot antenna, SQUID readout
Abstract For the first time, we have measured the optical noise equivalent power (NEP) in titanium (Ti) superconducting hot-electron nanobolometers (nano-HEBs). The bolometers were 2{\mu}mx1{\mu}mx20nm and 1{\mu}mx1{\mu}mx20nm planar antenna-coupled devices. The measurements were done at {\lambda} = 460 {\mu}m using a cryogenic black body radiation source delivering optical power from a fraction of a femtowatt to a few 100s of femtowatts. A record low NEP = 3x10^{-19} W/Hz^{1/2} at 50 mK has been achieved. This sensitivity meets the requirements for SAFARI instrument on the SPICA telescope. The ways for further improvement of the nano-HEB detector sensitivity are discussed.
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Notes To appear in Proc. 21st Int. Symp. on Spc. THz Technol., Oxford, UK, 23-25 March, 2010 Approved no
Call Number Serial 623
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Author Zhang, W.; Khosropanah, P.; Gao, J. R.; Kollberg, E. L.; Yngvesson, K. S.; Bansal, T.; Barends, R.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Quantum noise in a terahertz hot electron bolometer mixer Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Applied Physics Letters Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 96 Issue 11 Pages 111113-(1-3)
Keywords HEB mixer, quantum limit, quantum noise, vacuum box, THz, Terahertz
Abstract We have measured the noise temperature of a single, sensitive superconducting NbN hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer in a frequency range from 1.6 to 5.3 THz, using a setup with all the key components in vacuum. By analyzing the measured receiver noise temperature using a quantum noise (QN) model for HEB mixers, we confirm the effect of QN. The QN is found to be responsible for about half of the receiver noise at the highest frequency in our measurements. The beta-factor (the quantum efficiency of the HEB) obtained experimentally agrees reasonably well with the calculated value.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 624
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Author Huebers, Heinz-Wilhelm; Pavlov, S.; Semenov, A.; Köhler, R.; Mahler, L.; Tredicucci, A.; Beere, H.; Ritchie, D.; Linfield, E.
Title Terahertz quantum cascade laser as local oscillator in a heterodyne receiver Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Optics Express Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 15 Pages 5890-5896
Keywords QCL heterodyne, 6 mW at 2.5 THz, HEB mixer, terahertz
Abstract Terahertz quantum cascade lasers have been investigated with respect to their performance as a local oscillator in a heterodyne receiver. The beam profile has been measured and transformed in to a close to Gaussian profile resulting in a good matching between the field patterns of the quantum cascade laser and the antenna of a superconducting hot electron bolometric mixer. Noise temperature measurements with the hot electron bolometer and a 2.5 THz quantum cascade laser yielded the same result as with a gas laser as local oscillator.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 627
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Author Rabanus, D.; Graf, U. U.; Philipp, M.; Ricken, O.; Stutzki, J.; Vowinkel, B.; Wiedner, M. C.; Walther, C.; Fischer, M.; Faist, J.
Title Phase locking of a 1.5 terahertz quantum cascade laser and use as a local oscillator in a heterodyne HEB receiver Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication Optics Express Abbreviated Journal
Volume 17 Issue 3 Pages 1159-1168
Keywords QCL heterodyne, 300 uW at 1.5 THz, HEB mixer
Abstract We demonstrate for the first time the closure of an electronic phase lock loop for a continuous–wave quantum cascade laser (QCL) at 1.5 THz. The QCL is operated in a closed cycle cryo cooler. We achieved a frequency stability of better than 100 Hz, limited by the resolution bandwidth of the spectrum analyser. The PLL electronics make use of the intermediate frequency (IF) obtained from a hot electron bolometer (HEB) which is downconverted to a PLL IF of 125 MHz. The coarse selection of the longitudinal mode and the fine tuning is achieved via the bias voltage of the QCL. Within a QCL cavity mode, the free-running QCL shows frequency fluctuations of about 5 MHz, which the PLL circuit is able to control via the Stark–shift of the QCL gain material. Temperature dependent tuning is shown to be nonlinear, and of the order of -16 MHz/K. Additionally we have used the QCL as local oscillator (LO) to pump an HEB and perform, again for the first time at 1.5 THz, a heterodyne experiment, and obtain a receiver noise temperature of 1741 K.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 628
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Author Ryabchun, Sergey; Tong, Cheuk-Yu Edward; Paine, Scott; Lobanov, Yury; Blundell, Raymond; Goltsman, Gregory
Title Temperature resolution of an HEB receiver at 810 GHz Type (up) Journal Article
Year 2009 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume 19 Issue 3 Pages 293-296
Keywords HEB mixer
Abstract We present the results of direct measurements of the temperature resolution of an HEB receiver operating at 810 GHz, in both continuum and spectroscopic modes. In the continuum mode, the input of the receiver was switched between black bodies with different physical temperatures. With a system noise temperature of around 1100 K, the receiver was able to resolve loads which differed in temperature by about 1 K over an integration time of 5 seconds. This resolution is significantly worse than the value of 0.07 K given by the radiometer equation. In the spectroscopic mode, a gas cell filled with carbonyl sulphide (OCS) gas was used and the emission line at 813.3537060 GHz was measured using the receiver in conjunction with a digital spectrometer. From the observed spectra, we determined that the measurement uncertainty of the equivalent emission temperature was 2.8 K for an integration time of 0.25 seconds and a spectral resolution of 12 MHz, compared to a 1.4 K temperature resolution given by the radiometer equation. This relative improvement is due to the fact that at short integration times the contribution from 1/f noise and drift are less dominant. In both modes, the temperature resolution was improved by about 40% with the use of a feedback loop which adjusted the level of an injected microwave radiation to maintain a constant operating current of the HEB mixer. This stabilization scheme has proved to be very effective to keep the temperature resolution of the HEB receiver to close to the theoretical value given by the radiometer equation.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 636
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