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Cherednichenko, S., Rönnung, F., Gol’tsman, G., Kollberg, E., & Winkler, D. (2000). YBa2Cu3O7-δ hot-electron bolometer mixer at 0.6 THz. In Proc. 11th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 517–522).
Abstract: We present an investigation of hot-electron bolometric mixer based on a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) superconducting thin film. Mixer conversion loss of –46 dB, absorbed local oscillator power and intermediate frequency bandwidth were measured at the local oscillator frequency 0.6 THz. The fabrication technique for nanoscale YBCO hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer integrated with a planar antenna structure is described.
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Cherednichenko, S., Kroug, M., Yagoubov, P., Merkel, H., Kollberg, E., Yngvesson, K. S., et al. (2000). IF bandwidth of phonon cooled HEB mixers made from NbN films on MgO substrates. In Proc. 11th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. (pp. 219–227).
Abstract: An investigation of gain and noise bandwidth of phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometric (HEB) mixers is presented. The radiation coupling to the mixers is quasioptical through either a spiral or twin-slot antenna. A maximum gain bandwidth of 4.8 GHz is obtained for mixers based on a 3.5 nm thin NbN film with Tc= 10 K. The noise bandwidth is 5.6 GHz, at the moment limited by parasitic elements in the, device mount fixture. At 0.65 THz the DSB receiver noise temperature is 700-800 К in the IF band 1-2 GHz, and 1150-2700 К in the band 3.5-7 GHz.
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Semenov, A. D., & Gol’tsman, G. N. (2000). Nonthermal mixing mechanism in a diffusion-cooled hot-electron detector. J. Appl. Phys., 87(1), 502–510.
Abstract: We present an analysis of a diffusion-cooled hot-electron detector fabricated from clean superconducting material with low transition temperature. The distinctive feature of a clean material, i.e., material with large electron mean free path, is a relatively weak inelastic electron scattering that is not sufficient for the establishment of an elevated thermodynamic electron temperature when the detector is subjected to irradiation. We propose an athermal model of a diffusion-cooled detector that relies on suppression of the superconducting energy gap by the actual dynamic distribution of excess quasiparticles. The resistive state of the device is caused by the electric field penetrating into the superconducting bridge from metal contacts. The dependence of the penetration length on the energy gap delivers the detection mechanism. The sources of the electric noise are equilibrium fluctuations of the number of thermal quasiparticles and frequency dependent shot noise. Using material parameters typical for A1, we evaluate performance of the device in the heterodyne regime at terahertz frequencies. Estimates show that the mixer may have a noise temperature of a few quantum limits and a bandwidth of a few tens of GHz, while the required local oscillator power is in the μW range due to ineffective suppression of the energy gap by quasiparticles with high energies.
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Kawamura, J. H., Tong, C. - Y. E., Blundell, R., Cosmo Papa, D., Hunter, T. R., Gol'tsman, G., et al. (1999). An 800 GHz NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixer receiver. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., 9(2), 3753–3756.
Abstract: We describe a heterodyne receiver developed for astronomical applications to operate in the 350 /spl mu/m atmospheric window. The waveguide receiver employs a superconductive NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixer. The double sideband receiver noise temperature closely follows 1 kGHz/sup -1/ across 780-870 GHz, with the intermediate frequency centered at 1.4 GHz. The conversion loss is about 15 dB. The receiver was installed for operation at the University of Arizona/Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy Submillimeter Telescope facility. The instrument was successfully used to conduct test observations of a number of celestial sources in a number of astronomically important spectral lines.
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Yagoubov, P., Kroug, M., Merkel, H., Kollberg, E., Schubert, J., & Hübers, H. - W. (1999). NbN hot electron bolometric mixers at frequencies between 0.7 and 3.1 THz. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 12(11), 989–991.
Abstract: The performance of NbN-based phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric (HEB) quasioptical mixers is investigated in the 0.7-3.1 THz frequency range. The devices are made from a 3.5-4 nm thick NbN film on high resistivity Si and integrated with a planar spiral antenna on the same substrate. The length of the bolometer microbridge is 0.1-0.2 µm; the width is 1-2 µm. The best results of the DSB receiver noise temperature measured at 1.5 GHz intermediate frequency are: 800 K at 0.7 THz, 1100 K at 1.6 THz, 2000 K at 2.5 THz and 4200 K at 3.1 THz. The measurements were performed with a far infrared laser as the local oscillator (LO) source. The estimated LO power requirement is less than 500 nW at the receiver input. First results on spiral antenna polarization measurements are reported.
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Schubert, J., Semenov, A., Gol'tsman, G., Hübers, H. - W., Schwaab, G., Voronov, B., et al. (1999). Noise temperature of an NbN hot-electron bolometric mixer at frequencies from 0.7 THz to 5.2 THz. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 12(11), 748–750.
Abstract: We report on noise temperature measurements of an NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometric mixer in the terahertz frequency range. The devices were 3 nm thick films with in-plane dimensions 1.7 × 0.2 µm2 and 0.9 × 0.2 µm2 integrated in a complementary logarithmic-spiral antenna. Measurements were performed at seven frequencies ranging from 0.7 THz to 5.2 THz. The measured DSB noise temperatures are 1500 K (0.7 THz), 2200 K (1.4 THz), 2600 K (1.6 THz), 2900 K (2.5 THz), 4000 K (3.1 THz), 5600 K (4.3 THz) and 8800 K (5.2 THz).
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Schwaab, G. W., Sirmain, G., Schubert, J., Hubers, H. - W., Gol'tsman, G., Cherednichenko, S., et al. (1999). Investigation of NbN phonon-cooled HEB mixers at 2.5 THz. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., 9(2), 4233–4236.
Abstract: The development of superconducting hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixers has been a big step forward in the direction of quantum noise limited mixer performance at THz frequencies. Such mixers are crucial for the upcoming generation of airborne and spaceborne THz heterodyne receivers. In this paper we report on new results on a phonon-cooled NbN HEB mixer using e-beam lithography. The superconducting film is 3 nm thick. The mixer is 0.2 μm long and 1.5 μm wide and it is integrated in a spiral antenna on a Si substrate. The device is quasi-optically coupled through a Si lens and a dielectric beam combiner to the radiation of an optically pumped FIR ring gas laser cavity. The performance of the mixer at different THz frequencies from 0.69 to 2.55 THz with an emphasis on 2.52 THz is demonstrated. At 2.52 THz minimum DSB noise temperatures of 4200 K have been achieved at an IF of 1.5 GHz and a bandwidth of 40 MHz with the mixer mounted in a cryostat and a 0.8 m long signal path in air.
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Huebers, H. - W., Schubert, J., Semenov, A., Gol’tsman, G. N., Voronov, B. M., Gershenzon, E. M., et al. (1999). NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer as a mixer for THz heterodyne receivers. In J. M. Chamberlain (Ed.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 3828, pp. 410–416). Spie.
Abstract: We have investigated a phonon-cooled NbN hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixer in the frequency range from 0.7 THz to 5.2 THz. The device was a 3.5 nm thin film with an in- plane dimension of 1.7 X 0.2 micrometers 2 integrated in a complementary logarithmic spiral antenna. The measured DSB receiver noise temperatures are 1500 K, 2200 K, 2600 K, 2900 K, 4000 K, 5600 K and 8800 K. The sensitivity fluctuation, the long term stability, and the antenna pattern were measured and the suitability of the mixer for a practical heterodyne receiver is discussed.
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Gerecht, E., Musante, C. F., Zhuang, Y., Yngvesson, K. S., Gol’tsman, G. N., Voronov, B. M., et al. (1999). NbN hot electron bolometric mixerss—a new technology for low-noise THz receivers. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., 47(12), 2519–2527.
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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Yngvesson, K. S., Gerecht, E., Musante, C. F., Zhuang, Y., Ji, M., Goyette, T. M., et al. (1999). Low-noise HEB heterodyne receivers and focal plane arrays for the THz regime using NbN. In R. J. Hwu, & K. Wu (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 3795, pp. 357–368). SPIE.
Abstract: We have developed prototype HEB receivers using thin film superconducting NbN devices deposited on silicon substrates. The devices are quasi-optically coupled through a silicon lens and a self-complementary log-specific toothed antenna. We measured DSB receiver noise temperatures of 500 K (13 X hf/2k) at 1.56 THz and 1,100 K (20 X hf/2k) at 2.24 THz. Noise temperatures are expected to fall further as devices and quasi-optical coupling methods are being optimized. The measured 3 dB IF conversion gain bandwidth for one device was 3 GHz, and it is estimated that the bandwidth over which the receiver noise temperature is within 3 dB of its minimum value is 6.5 GHz which is sufficient for a number of practical applications. We will discuss our latest results and give a detailed description of our prototype setup and experiments. We will also discuss our plans for developing focal plane arrays with tens of Hot Electron Bolometric mixer elements on a single silicon substrate which will make real time imaging systems in the THz region feasible.
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Rönnung, F., Cherednichenko, S., Winkler, D., & Gol'tsman, G. N. (1999). A nanoscale YBCO mixer optically coupled with a bow tie antenna. Supercond. Sci. Technol., 12(11), 853–855.
Abstract: The bolometric response of YBa2Cu3O7-δ(YBCO) hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) to near-infrared radiation was studied. Devices were fabricated from a 50 nm thick film and had in-plane areas of 10 × 10 µm2, 2 × 0.2 µm2, 1 × 0.2µm2 and 0.5 × 0.2 µm2. We found that nonequilibrium phonons cool down more effectively for the bolometers with smaller area. For the smallest bolometer the bolometric component in the response is 10 dB less than for the largest one.
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Gol’tsman, G. N., & Gershenzon, E. M. (1999). Phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometric mixer: overview of recent results. Appl. Supercond., 6(10-12), 649–655.
Abstract: The 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 mixer has crossed the level of 1 K·GHz−1 at 430 GHz (410 K) and 600–650 GHz (480 K) and is close to this level at 820 GHz (1100 K) and 900 GHz (980 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 are about 100 nW for mixers made by e-beam lithography. The studies in terahertz receivers based on HEB superconducting mixers now present a dynamic, rapidly developing field.
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Tong, C. E., Blundell, R., Papa, D. C., Smith, M., Kawamura, J., Gol'tsman, G., et al. (1999). An all solid-state superconducting heterodyne receiver at terahertz frequencies. IEEE Microw. Guid. Wave Lett., 9(9), 366–368.
Abstract: A superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer-receiver operating from 1 to 1.26 THz has been developed. This heterodyne receiver employs two solid-state local oscillators each consisting of a Gunn oscillator followed by two stages of varactor frequency multiplication. The measured receiver noise temperature is 1350 K at 1.035 THz and 2700 K at 1.26 THz. This receiver demonstrates that tunable solid-state local oscillators, supplying only a few micro-watts of output power, can be used in terahertz receiver applications.
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Semenov, A. D., & Gol'tsman, G. N. (1999). Non-thermal response of a diffusion-cooled hot-electron bolometer. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., 9(2), 4491–4494.
Abstract: We present an analysis of a diffusion-cooled hot-electron bolometer in the limiting case of a weak thermalization of non-equilibrium quasiparticles. We propose a new model relying on the non-thermal suppression of the superconducting energy gap by excess quasiparticles. Using material parameters typical for Al, we evaluate performance of the bolometer in the heterodyne regime at terahertz frequencies. Estimates show that the mixer may have quantum limited noise temperature and a few tens of GHz bandwidth, while the required local oscillator power is in the /spl mu/W range due to in-effective suppression of the energy gap by quasiparticles with high energies.
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Gerecht, E., Musante, C. F., Jian, H., Yngvesson, K. S., Dickinson, J., Waldman, J., et al. (1999). New results for NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric mixers above 1 THz. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., 9(2), 4217–4220.
Abstract: NbN Hot Electron Bolometric (HEB) mixers have produced promising results in terms of DSB receiver noise temperature (2800 K at 1.56 THz). The LO source for these mixers is a gas laser pumped by a CO/sub 2/ laser and the device is quasi-optically coupled through an extended hemispherical lens and a self-complementary log-periodic toothed antenna. NbN HEBs do not require submicron dimensions, can be operated comfortably at 4.2 K or higher, and require LO power of about 100-500 nW. IF noise bandwidths of 5 GHz or greater have been demonstrated. The DC bias point is also not affected by thermal radiation at 300 K. Receiver noise temperatures below 1 THz are typically 450-600 K and are expected to gradually approach these levels above 1 THz as well. NbN HEB mixers thus are rapidly approaching the type of performance required of a rugged practical receiver for astronomy and remote sensing in the THz region.
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