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Author Lobanov, Y.; Tong, E.; Blundell, R.; Hedden, A.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Large-signal frequency response of an HEB mixer: from 300 MHz to terahertz Type Journal Article
Year 2011 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal
Volume (up) 21 Issue 3 Pages 628-631
Keywords waveguide NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We present a study of the large signal frequency response of an HEB mixer over a wide frequency range. In our experiments, we have subjected the HEB mixer to incident electromagnetic radiation from 0.3 GHz to 1 THz. The mixer element is an NbN film deposited on crystalline quartz. The mixer chip is mounted in a waveguide cavity, coupled to free space with a diagonal horn. At microwave frequencies, electromagnetic radiation is applied through the coaxial bias port of the mixer block. At higher frequencies the input signal passes via the diagonal horn feed. At each frequency, the incident power is varied and a family of I-V curves is recorded. From the curves we identify 3 distinct regimes of operation of the mixer separated by the phonon relaxation frequency and the superconducting energy gap frequency observed at about 3 GHz and 660 GHz respectively. In this paper, we will present observed curves and discuss the results of our experiment.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ gujma @ Serial 719
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Author Lobanov, Y.V.; Tong, C.-Y.E.; Hedden, A.S.; Blundell, R.; Voronov, B.M.; Gol'tsman, G.N.
Title Direct measurement of the gain and noise bandwidths of HEB mixers Type Journal Article
Year 2011 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 21 Issue 3 Pages 645-648
Keywords waveguide NbN HEB mixers
Abstract The intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth of a hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer is an important parameter of the mixer, in that it helps to determine its suitability for a given application. With the availability of wideband low noise amplifiers, it is simple to measure the performance of an HEB mixer over a wide range of IF at a fixed LO frequency using the standard Y-factor method. This in-situ method allows us to measure both the gain and noise bandwidths simultaneously. We have also measured mixer output impedance with a vector network analyser. Intrinsic time constant has been extracted from the impedance data and compared to the mixer's bandwidths determined from receiver Y-factor measurement.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ gujma @ Serial 720
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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 Type Journal Article
Year 2013 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 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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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1372
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Author Zhang, Wen; Li, Ning; Jiang, Ling; Miao, Wei; Lin, Zhen-Hui; Yao, Qi-Jun; Shi, Sheng-Cai; Chen, Jian; Wu, Pei-Heng; Svechnikov, S. I.; Vachtomin, Y. B.; Antipov, S. V.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Noise behaviour of a THz superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication Chinese Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Chinese Phys. Lett.
Volume (up) 24 Issue 6 Pages 1778-1781
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract A quasi-optical superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer is measured in the frequency range of 0.5–2.5 THz for understanding of the frequency dependence of noise temperature of THz coherent detectors. It has been found that noise temperature increasing with frequency is mainly due to the coupling loss between the quasi-optical planar antenna and the superconducting HEB bridge when taking account of non-uniform distribution of high-frequency current. With the coupling loss corrected, the superconducting HEB mixer demonstrates a noise temperature nearly independent of frequency.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0256-307X ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1430
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Author Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Ryabchun, S.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Probing the stability of HEB mixers with microwave injection Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 25 Issue 3 Pages 2300404 (1 to 4)
Keywords NbN HEB mixer, stability, Allan-variance
Abstract Using a microwave probe as a tool, we have performed experiments aimed at understanding the origin of the output-power fluctuations in hot-electron-bolometer (HEB) mixers. We use a probe frequency of 1.5 GHz. The microwave probe picks up impedance changes of the HEB, which are examined upon demodulation of the reflected wave outside the cryostat. This study shows that the HEB mixer operates in two different regimes under a terahertz pump. At a low pumping level, strong pulse modulation is observed, as the device switches between the superconducting state and the normal state at a rate of a few megahertz. When pumped much harder, to approximate the low-noise mixer operating point, residual modulation can still be observed, showing that the HEB mixer is intrinsically unstable even in the resistive state. Based on these observations, we introduced a low-frequency termination to the HEB mixer. By terminating the device in a 50-Ω resistor in the megahertz frequency range, we have been able to improve the output-power Allan time of our HEB receiver by a factor of four to about 10 s for a detection bandwidth of 15 MHz, with a corresponding gain fluctuation of about 0.035%.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1051-8223 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1355
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Author Tong, C.-Y. E.; Trifonov, A.; Shurakov, A.; Blundell, R.; Gol’tsman, G.
Title A microwave-operated hot-electron-bolometric power detector for terahertz radiation Type Journal Article
Year 2015 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 25 Issue 3 Pages 2300604 (1 to 4)
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract A new class of microwave-operated THz power detectors based on the NbN hot-electron-bolometer (HEB) mixer is proposed. The injected microwave signal ( 1 GHz) serves the dual purpose of pumping the HEB element and enabling the read-out of the internal state of the device. A cryogenic amplifier amplifies the reflected microwave signal from the device and a homodyne scheme recovers the effects of the incident THz radiation. Two modes of operation have been identified, depending on the level of incident radiation. For weak signals, we use a chopper to chop the incident radiation against a black body reference and a lock-in amplifier to perform synchronous detection of the homodyne readout. The voltage measured is proportional to the incident power, and we estimate an optical noise equivalent power of  5pW/ √Hz at 0.83 THz. At higher signal levels, the homodyne circuit recovers the stream of steady relaxation oscillation pulses from the HEB device. The frequency of these pulses is in the MHz frequency range and bears a linear relationship with the incident THz radiation over an input power range of  15 dB. A digital frequency counter is used to measure THz power. The applicable power range is between 1 nW and 1 μW.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1354
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Author Zhang, W.; Miao, W.; Zhong, J. Q.; Shi, S. C.; Hayton, D. J.; Vercruyssen, N.; Gao, J. R.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Temperature dependence of the receiver noise temperature and IF bandwidth of superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers Type Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Supercond. Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume (up) 27 Issue 8 Pages 085013 (1 to 5)
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract In this paper we study the temperature dependence of the receiver noise temperature and IF noise bandwidth of superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers. Three superconducting NbN HEB devices of different transition temperatures (Tc) are measured at 0.85 THz and 1.4 THz at different bath temperatures (Tbath) between 4 K and 9 K. Measurement results demonstrate that the receiver noise temperature of superconducting NbN HEB devices is nearly constant for Tbath/Tc, less than 0.8, which is consistent with the simulation based on a distributed hot-spot model. In addition, the IF noise bandwidth appears independent of Tbath/Tc, indicating the dominance of phonon cooling in the investigated HEB devices.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-2048 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1358
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Author Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Lobanov, Y.; Kaurova, N.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G.
Title Photon absorption near the gap frequency in a hot electron bolometer Type Journal Article
Year 2017 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 27 Issue 4 Pages 1-4
Keywords NBN HEB mixer
Abstract The superconducting energy gap is a fundamental characteristic of a superconducting film, which, together with the applied pump power and the biasing setup, defines the instantaneous resistive state of the Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixer at any given bias point on the I-V curve. In this paper we report on a series of experiments, in which we subjected the HEB to radiation over a wide frequency range along with parallel microwave injection. We have observed three distinct regimes of operation of the HEB, depending on whether the radiation is above the gap frequency, far below it or close to it. These regimes are driven by the different patterns of photon absorption. The experiments have allowed us to derive the approximate gap frequency of the device under test as about 585 GHz. Microwave injection was used to probe the HEB impedance. Spontaneous switching between the superconducting (low resistive) state and a quasi-normal (high resistive) state was observed. The switching pattern depends on the particular regime of HEB operation and can assume a random pattern at pump frequencies below the gap to a regular relaxation oscillation running at a few MHz when pumped above the gap.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1331
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Author Antipov, S.; Trifonov, A.; Krause, S.; Meledin, D.; Kaurova, N.; Rudzinski, M.; Desmaris, V.; Belitsky, V.; Goltsman, G.
Title Improved bandwidth of a 2 THz hot-electron bolometer heterodyne mixer fabricated on sapphire with a GaN buffer layer Type Journal Article
Year 2019 Publication Supercond. Sci. Technol. Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume (up) 32 Issue 7 Pages 075003
Keywords NbN HEB mixer, GaN buffer layer, sapphire substrate
Abstract We report on the signal-to-noise and gain bandwidth of a niobium nitride (NbN) hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer at 2 THz fabricated on a sapphire substrate with a GaN buffer layer. Two mixers with different DC properties and geometrical dimensions were studied and they demonstrated very close bandwidth performance. The signal-to-noise bandwidth is increased to 8 GHz in comparison to the previous results, obtained without a buffer-layer. The data were taken in a quasi-optical system with the use of the signal-to-noise method, which is close to the signal levels used in actual astrophysical observations. We find an increase of the gain bandwidth to 5 GHz. The results indicate that prior results obtained on a substrate of crystalline GaN can also be obtained on a conventional sapphire substrate with a few micron MOCVD-deposited GaN buffer-layer.
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Publisher IOP Publishing Place of Publication Editor
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ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Antipov_2019 Serial 1277
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Author Tret’yakov, I. V.; Ryabchun, S. A.; Kaurova, N. S.; Larionov, P. A.; Lobastova, A. A.; Voronov, B. M.; Finkel, M. I.; Gol’tsman, G. N.
Title Optimum absorbed heterodyne power for superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2010 Publication Tech. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Tech. Phys. Lett.
Volume (up) 36 Issue 12 Pages 1103-1105
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract Absorbed heterodyne power has been measured in a low-noise broadband hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer for the terahertz range, operating on the effect of electron heating in the resistive state of an ultrathin superconducting NbN film. It is established that the optimum absorbed heterodyne power for the HEB mixer operating at 2.5 THz is about 100 nW.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1063-7850 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1389
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Author Zhang, W.; Miao, W.; Yao, Q. J.; Lin, Z. H.; Shi, S. C.; Gao, J. R.; Goltsman, G. N.
Title Spectral response and noise temperature of a 2.5 THz spiral antenna coupled NbN HEB mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Phys. Procedia Abbreviated Journal Phys. Procedia
Volume (up) 36 Issue Pages 334-337
Keywords NbN HEB mixer
Abstract We report on a 2.5 THz spiral antenna coupled NbN hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers, fabricated with in-situ process. The receiver noise temperature with lowest value of 1180 K is in good agreement with calculated quantum efficiency factor as a function of bias voltage. In addition, the measured spectral response of the spiral antenna coupled NbN HEB mixer shows broad frequency coverage of 0.8-3 THz, and corrected response for optical losses, FTS, and coupling efficiency between antenna and bolometer falls with frequency due to diffraction-limited beam of lens/antenna combination.
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1875-3892 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1381
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Author Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Hot electron bolometric mixers: new terahertz technology Type Journal Article
Year 1999 Publication Infrared Physics & Technology Abbreviated Journal Infrared Physics & Technology
Volume (up) 40 Issue 3 Pages 199-206
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract This paper presents an overview of recent results for NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixers. The noise temperature of the receivers based on both quasioptical and waveguide versions of HEB mixers has crossed the level of 1 K GHz−1 at 430 GHz (410 K), 600–650 GHz (480 K), 750 GHz (600 K), 810 GHz (780 K) and is close to that level at 1.1 THz (1250 K) and 2.5 THz (4500 K). The gain bandwidth measured for quasioptical HEB mixer at 620 GHz reached 4 GHz and the noise temperature bandwidth was almost 8 GHz. Local oscillator power requirements are about 1 μW for mixers made by photolithography and about 100 nW for mixers made by e-beam lithography. A waveguide version of 800 GHz receiver was installed at the Submillimeter Telescope Observatory on Mt. Graham, AZ, to conduct astronomical observations of known submillimeter lines (CO, J=7→6, CI, J=2→1). It was proved that the receiver works as a practical instrument.
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Publisher 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 1570
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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 (up) 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.
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Publisher 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
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Author Gol'tsman, G. N.; Loudkov, D. N.
Title Terahertz superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers and their application in radio astronomy Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Radiophys. Quant. Electron. Abbreviated Journal
Volume (up) 46 Issue 8/9 Pages 604-617
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We review the latest developments, research, and radioastronomy applications of hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers operated in the terahertz waveband. The physical principles of operation of terahertz HEB mixers are presented, their manufacturing from ultrathin NbN films, the main HEB-mixer parameters and their measurement techniques are discussed, and practical terahertz radioastronomy projects based on heterodyne receivers with HEB mixers are considered.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0033-8443 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes UDC 537.312.62 Approved no
Call Number Serial 472
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Author Gerecht, E.; Musante, C. F.; Zhuang, Y.; Yngvesson, K. S.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.; Gershenzon, E. M.
Title NbN hot electron bolometric mixerss—a new technology for low-noise THz receivers Type Journal Article
Year 1999 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 47 Issue 12 Pages 2519-2527
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract New advances in hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers have recently resulted in record-low receiver noise temperatures at terahertz frequencies. We have developed quasi-optically coupled NbN HEB mixers and measured noise temperatures up to 2.24 THz, as described in this paper. We project the anticipated future performance of such receivers to have even lower noise temperature and local-oscillator power requirement as well as wider gain and noise bandwidths. We introduce a proposal for integrated focal plane arrays of HEB mixers that will further increase the detection speed of terahertz systems.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1557-9670 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1560
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