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Author 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 Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 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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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 1558-2515 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 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 Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett.
Volume (up) 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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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 1531-1309 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 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 Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 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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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 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number 1439677 Serial 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 Type Journal Article
Year 2007 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
Volume (up) 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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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 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 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.
Address
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 1372
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