Records |
Author |
Kawamura, J.; Blundell, R.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Golts'man, G.; Gershenzon, E.; Voronov B. |
Title |
Superconductive NbN hot-electron bolometric mixer performance at 250 GHz |
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Conference Article |
Year |
1996 |
Publication |
Proc. 7th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 7th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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331-336 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
Thin film NbN (<40 A) strips are used as waveguide mixer elements. The electron cooling mechanism for the geometry is the electron-phonon interaction. We report a receiver noise temperature of 750 K at 244 GHz, with / IF = 1.5 GHz, Af= 500 MHz, and Tphysical = 4 K. The instantaneous bandwidth for this mixer is 1.6 GHz. The local oscillator (LO) power is 0.5 1.tW with 3 dB-uncertainty. The mixer is linear to 1 dB up to an input power level 6 dB below the LO power. We report the first detection of a molecular line emission using this class of mixer, and that the receiver noise temperature determined from Y-factor measurements reflects the true heterodyne sensitivity. |
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945 |
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Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Lobanov, Y.; Kaurova, N.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G. |
Title |
Gap frequency and photon absorption in a hot electron bolometer |
Type |
Conference Article |
Year |
2016 |
Publication |
Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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121 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB; Si membrane |
Abstract |
The superconducting energy gap is a crucial parameter of a superconductor when used in mixing applications. In the case of the SIS mixer, the mixing process is efficient for frequencies below the energy gap, whereas, in the case of the HEB mixer, the mixing process is most efficient at frequencies above the gap, where photon absorption takes place more readily. We have investigated the photon absorption phenomenon around the gap frequency of HEB mixers based on NbN films deposited on silicon membranes. Apart from studying the pumped I-V curves of HEB devices, we have also probed them with microwave radiation, as previously described [1]. At frequencies far below the gap frequency, the pumped I-V curves show abrupt switching between the superconducting and resistive states. For the NbN HEB mixers we tested, which have critical temperatures of ~9 K, this is true for frequencies below about 400 GHz. As the pump frequency is increased beyond 400 GHz, the resistive state extends towards zero bias and at some point a small region of negative differential resistance appears close to zero bias. In this region, the microwave probe reveals that the device impedance is changing randomly with time. As the pump frequency is further increased, this random impedance change develops into relaxation oscillations, which can be observed by the demodulation of the reflected microwave probe. Initially, these oscillations take the form of several frequencies grouped together under an envelope. As we approach the gap frequency, the multiple frequency relaxation oscillations coalesce into a single frequency of a few MHz. The resultant square-wave nature of the oscillation is a clear indication that the device is in a bi-stable state, switching between the superconducting and normal state. Above the gap frequency, it is possible to obtain a pumped I-V curve with no negative differential resistance above a threshold pumping level. Below this pumping level, the device demonstrates bi-stability, and regular relaxation oscillation at a few MHz is observed as a function of pump power. The threshold pumping level is clearly related to the amount of power absorbed by the device and its phonon cooling. From the above experiment, we can derive the gap frequency of the NbN film, which is 585 GHz for our 6 μm thin silicon membrane-based device. We also confirm that the HEB mixer is not an efficient photon absorber for radiation below the gap frequency. 1. A. Trifonov et al., “Probing the stability of HEB mixers with microwave injection”, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., vol. 25, no. 3, June 2015. |
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1204 |
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Loudkov, D.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Marrone, D. P.; Ryabchun, S.; Paine, S. N.; Blundell, R. |
Title |
Transmission measurements of infrared filters for low-noise terahertz receiver applications |
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Conference Article |
Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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354-357 |
Keywords |
FTS, Zitex, alkali halide, crystalline quartz, Parylene, polyethylene, IR filters, transmission, THz applications |
Abstract |
Infrared (IR) filters are very important to the efficient operation of cryogenic receivers. Usually, such filters are mounted on the radiation shield of the cryostat to reduce the heat load to the 4 K stage. Insufficient filtering may cause the temperature of the mixing element in a receiver to be excessively warm, leading to degradation in sensitivity. These filters should be effective in blocking the room temperature IR radiation from outside the cryostat, yet should be transparent across the desired signal frequency band. In the Terahertz frequency range, which is close to the infrared, it is difficult to find an inexpensive low- loss material that can provide the required IR blocking capacity. We present transmission measurements, made using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS), of a number of potential infrared filters between 0.4 and 1.6 THz. The filters tested include the widely-used, Teflon-based, Zitex-A and Zitex-G films, alkali halide based infrared filter, and crystalline quartz coated with Parylene, and polyethylene films. |
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1473 |
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Author |
Kawamura, J.; Blundell, R.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Gol'tsman, G.; Gershenzon, E.; Voronov, B. |
Title |
NbN hot-electron mixer measurements at 200 GHz |
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Conference Article |
Year |
1995 |
Publication |
Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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254-261 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We present noise and gain measurements of resistively driven NbN hot-electron mixers near 200 GHz. The device geometry is chosen so that the dominant cooling process of the hot-electrons is their interaction with the lattice. Except for a single batch, the intermediate frequency cut-off of these mixer elements is – 3 700 MHz, and has shown little variation among other batches of devices. At 100 MHz we measured intrinsic mixer losses as low as —3 dB. We measured the noise temperatures at several intermediate frequencies, and for the best de- vice at 137 MHz with 20 MHz bandwidth, we measured 2000 K; using a low-noise first- stage amplifier at 1.5 GHz with 200 MHz bandwidth, the receiver noise temperature measured 2800 K. We estimate that the noise contribution from the mixer is 500 K and the total losses are —15 dB at 137 MHz. |
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1626 |
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Author |
Tong, C.-Y. E.; Meledin, D.; Loudkov, D.; Blundell, R.; Erickson, N.; Kawamura, J.; Mehdi, I.; Gol’tsman, G. |
Title |
A 1.5 THz Hot-Electron Bolometer mixer operated by a planar diode based local oscillator |
Type |
Conference Article |
Year |
2003 |
Publication |
IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest |
Volume |
2 |
Issue |
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Pages |
751-754 |
Keywords |
waveguide NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We have developed a 1.5 THz superconducting NbN Hot-Electron Bolometer mixer. It is operated by an all-solid-state Local Oscillator comprising of a cascade of 4 planar doublers following an MMIC based W-band power amplifier. The threshold available pump power is estimated to be 1 /spl mu/W. |
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Philadelphia, PA, USA |
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1516 |
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Kawamura, J.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Papa, D. C.; Hunter, T. R.; Patt, F.; Gol’tsman, G.; Gershenzon, E. |
Title |
Terahertz-frequency waveguide NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2001 |
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IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
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IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Volume |
11 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
952-954 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We have developed a low-noise waveguide heterodyne receiver for operation near 1 THz using phonon-cooled NbN hot-electron bolometers. The mixer elements are submicron-sized microbridges of 4 nm-thick NbN film fabricated on a quartz substrate. Operating at a bath temperature of 4.2 K, the double-sideband receiver noise temperature is 760 K at 1.02 THz and 1100 K at 1.26 THz. The local oscillator is provided by solid-state sources, and power measured at the source is less than 1 /spl mu/W. The intermediate frequency bandwidth exceeds 2 GHz. The receiver was used to make the first ground-based heterodyne detection of a celestial spectroscopic line above 1 THz. |
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1558-2515 |
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1546 |
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Author |
Meledin, D.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G. |
Title |
Measurement of intermediate frequency bandwidth of hot electron bolometer mixers at terahertz frequency range |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2003 |
Publication |
IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. |
Volume |
13 |
Issue |
11 |
Pages |
493-495 |
Keywords |
waveguide NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We have developed a new experimental setup for measuring the IF bandwidth of superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers. In our measurement system we use a chopped hot filament as a broadband signal source, and can perform a high-speed IF scan with no loss of accuracy when compared to coherent methods. Using this technique we have measured the 3 dB IF bandwidth of hot electron bolometer mixers, designed for THz frequency operation, and made from 3-4 nm thick NbN film deposited on an MgO buffer layer over crystalline quartz. |
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1531-1309 |
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1509 |
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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 superconducting HEB mixer as a function of its RF embedding impedance |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2005 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Volume |
15 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
472-475 |
Keywords |
waveguide NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We have conducted an investigation of the optimal embedding impedance for a waveguide superconducting hot-electron bolometric (HEB) mixer. Three mixer chip designs for 800 GHz, offering nominal embedding resistances of 70 /spl Omega/, 35 /spl Omega/, and 15 /spl Omega/, have been developed. We used both High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) software and scale model impedance measurements in the design process. We subsequently fabricated HEB mixers to these designs using 3-4 nm thick NbN thin film. Receiver noise temperature measurements and Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) scans were performed to determine the optimal combination of embedding impedance and normal-state resistance for a 50 Ohm IF load impedance. A receiver noise temperature of 440 K was measured at a local oscillator frequency 850 GHz for a mixer with normal state resistance of 62 /spl Omega/ incorporated into a circuit offering a nominal embedding impedance of 70 /spl Omega/. We conclude from our data that, for low noise operation, the normal state resistance of the HEB mixer element should be close to the embedding impedance of the mixer mount. |
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1439677 |
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1464 |
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Author |
Ryabchun, S.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Kimberk, R.; Gol'tsman, G. |
Title |
Study of the effect of microwave radiation on the operation of HEB mixers in the terahertz frequency range |
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Journal Article |
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2007 |
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IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
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IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
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17 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
391-394 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We have investigated the effect of injecting microwave radiation, with a frequency much lower than that corresponding to the energy gap of the superconductor, on the performance of the hot-electron bolometer mixer incorporated into a THz heterodyne receiver. More specifically, we show that exposing the mixer to microwave radiation does not cause a significant rise of the receiver noise temperature and fall of the mixer conversion gain so long as the microwave power is a small fraction of local oscillator power. The injection of a small, but controlled amount of microwave power therefore enables active compensation of local oscillator power and coupling fluctuations which can significantly degrade the gain stability of hot electron bolometer mixer receivers. |
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1051-8223 |
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1427 |
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Author |
Shurakov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Kaurova, N.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G. |
Title |
Microwave stabilization of a HEB mixer in a pulse-tube cryocooler |
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Journal Article |
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2013 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
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IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Volume |
23 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
1501504-1501504 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
Abstract |
We report the results of our study of the stability of an 800 GHz hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer cooled with a pulse-tube cryocooler. Pulse-tube cryocoolers introduce temperature fluctuations as well as mechanical vibrations at a frequency of ~1 Hz, both of which can cause receiver gain fluctuations at that frequency. In our system, the motor of the cryocooler was separated from the cryostat to minimize mechanical vibrations, leaving thermal effects as the dominant source of the receiver gain fluctuations. We measured root mean square temperature variations of the 4 K stage of ~7 mK. The HEB mixer was pumped by a solid state local oscillator at 810 GHz. The root mean square current fluctuations at the low noise operating point (1.50 mV, 56.5 μA) were ~0.12 μA, and were predominantly due to thermal fluctuations. To stabilize the bias current, microwave radiation was injected to the HEB mixer. The injected power level was set by a proportional-integral-derivative controller, which completely compensates for the bias current oscillations induced by the pulse-tube cryocooler. Significant improvement in the Allan variance of the receiver output power was obtained, and an Allan time of 5 s was measured. |
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1051-8223 |
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1372 |
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