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Meledin D, Tong CY-E, Blundell R, Kaurova N, Smirnov K, Voronov B, et al. Study of the IF bandwidth of NbN HEB mixers based on crystalline quartz substrate with an MgO buffer layer. IEEE Trans Appl Supercond. 2003;13(2):164–7.
Abstract: In this paper, we present the results of IF bandwidth measurements on 3-4 nm thick NbN hot electron bolometer waveguide mixers, which have been fabricated on a 200-nm thick MgO buffer layer deposited on a crystalline quartz substrate. The 3-dB IF bandwidth, measured at an LO frequency of 0.81 THz, is 3.7 GHz at the optimal bias point for low noise receiver operation. We have also made measurements of the IF dynamic impedance, which allow us to evaluate the intrinsic electron temperature relaxation time and self-heating parameters at different bias conditions.
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Meledin D, Tong C-YE, Blundell R, Goltsman G. Measurement of intermediate frequency bandwidth of hot electron bolometer mixers at terahertz frequency range. IEEE Microw Wireless Compon Lett. 2003;13(11):493–5.
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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Myasnikova SE, Parshin VV, van't Klooster K, Valsecchi G. Reflectivity of antenna and mirrors reflectors at 110 and 200 GHz. In: Proc. 4th international conference on antenna theory and techniques. Vol 2.; 2003. p. 624–7.
Abstract: Reflectivity (reflection loss) investigations of nickel samples with different types of surface finish, with and without rhodium coating, have been carried out in the 110-200 GHz frequency range on an installation developed in the Applied Physics Institute of Russia. The reflectivity measurements of high quality silver coated and gold coated mirrors are also presented. The reflectivity (reflection loss) investigations of some carbon fibre samples with and without aluminium coating have been made. Results are interesting, in view of the anisotropy of the carbon fibre material.
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Semenov AD, Hübers H-W, Richter H, Birk M, Krocka M, Mair U, et al. Superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer for terahertz heterodyne receivers. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.. 2003;13(2):168–71.
Abstract: We present recent results showing the development of superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer for German receiver for astronomy at terahertz frequencies and terahertz limb sounder. The mixer is incorporated into a planar feed antenna, which has either logarithmic spiral or double-slot configuration, and backed on a silicon lens. The hybrid antenna had almost frequency independent and symmetric radiation pattern slightly broader than expected for a diffraction limited antenna. At 2.5 THz the best 2200 K double side-band receiver noise temperature was achieved across a 1 GHz intermediate frequency bandwidth centred at 1.5 GHz. For this operation regime, a receiver conversion efficiency of -17 dB was directly measured and the loss budget was evaluated. The mixer response was linear at load temperatures smaller than 400 K. Implementation of the MgO buffer layer on Si resulted in an increased 5.2 GHz gain bandwidth. The receiver was tested in the laboratory environment by measuring a methanol emission line at 2.5 THz.
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Semenov A, Engel A, Il'in K, Gol'tsman G, Siegel M, Hübers H-W. Ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector. Eur Phys J Appl Phys. 2003;21(3):171–8.
Abstract: We analyze the ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector in order to meet requirements for applications in near-infrared astronomy and X-ray spectroscopy. The detector exploits a combined detection mechanism, in which avalanche quasiparticle multiplication and the supercurrent jointly produce a voltage response to a single absorbed photon via successive formation of a photon-induced and a current-induced normal hotspot in a narrow superconducting strip. The response time of the detector should increase with the photon energy providing energy resolution. Depending on the superconducting material and operation conditions, the cut-off wavelength for the single-photon detection regime varies from infrared waves to visible light. We simulated the performance of the background-limited infrared direct detector and X-ray photon counter utilizing the above mechanism. Low dark count rate and intrinsic low-frequency cut-off allow for realizing a background limited noise equivalent power of 10−20 W Hz−1/2 for a far-infrared direct detector exposed to 4-K background radiation. At low temperatures, the intrinsic response time of the counter is rather determined by diffusion of nonequilibrium electrons than by the rate of energy transfer to phonons. Therefore, thermal fluctuations do not hamper energy resolution of the X-ray photon counter that should be better than 10−3 for 6-keV photons. Comparison of new data obtained with a Nb based detector and previously reported results on NbN quantum detectors support our estimates of ultimate detector performance.
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Semenov A, Richter H, Hübers H-W, Smirnov K, Voronov B, Gol'tsman G. Development of terahertz superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers. In: Proc. 6th European Conf. Appl. Supercond. Vol 181.; 2003. p. 2960–5.
Abstract: We present recent results of the development of phonon cooled hot-electron bolometric (HEB) mixers for airborne and balloon borne terahertz heterodyne receivers. Three iomportant issues have been addresses: the quality of NbN films the HEB mixers were made from, the spectral properties of the HEB mixers and the local oscillator power required for optical operation. Studies with an atomic force microscope indicate, that the performance of the HEB mixer might have been effected by the microstructure of the NbN film. Antenna gain and noise temperature were investigated at terahertz frequencies for a HEB embedded in either log-spiral or twin-slot feed antenna. Comparison suggests that at frequencies above 3 THz the spiral feed provides better overall performance. At 1.6 THz, a power of 2.5 µW was required from the local oscillator for optimal operation of the HEB mixer.
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Semenov AD, Hiibers H-W, Richter H, Smirnov K, Gol'tsman GN, Kaurova N, et al. Superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer for terahertz heterodyne receivers. In: Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 2003. p. 33–40.
Abstract: A number of on-going astronomical and atmospheric research programs are aimed to the Terahertz (THz) spectral region. At frequencies above about 1.4 THz heterodyne receivers planned for these missions will use superconducting hot-electron bolometers as a mixers. We present recent results of the terahertz antenna development of superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer for GREAT (German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies, to be used aboard of SOFIA) and TELIS (Terahertz Limb Sounder). The mixer is incorporated into hybrid antenna consisting of a planar feed antenna, which has either logarithmic spiral or double-slot configuration, and hyper hemispherical silicon lens. The hybrid antenna showed almost frequency independent and symmetric radiation pattern with the beam-width slightly broader than expected for diffraction limited antenna. The noise temperature as well as its spectral dependence changes with the bolometer sizes that provides additional tool for mixer optimization. FTS spectra measured in the direct detection regime agreed with the noise temperature spectra.
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Smirnov KV, Vachtomin YB, Antipov SV, Maslennikov SN, Kaurova NS, Drakinsky VN, et al. Noise and gain performance of spiral antenna coupled HEB mixers at 0.7 THz and 2.5 THz. In: Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 2003. p. 405–12.
Abstract: Noise and gain performance of hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers based on ultrathin superconducting NbN films integrated with a spiral antenna was studied. The noise temperature measurements for two samples with different active area of 3 p.m x 0.24 .tni and 1.3 1..tm x 0.12 1.tm were performed at frequencies 0.7 THz and 2.5 THz. The best receiver noise temperatures 370 K and 1600 K, respectively, have been found at these frequencies. The influence of contact resistance between the superconductor and the antenna terminals on the noise temperature of HEB is discussed. The noise and gain bandwidth of 5GHz and 4.2 GHz, respectively, are demonstrated for similar HEB mixer at 0.75 THz.
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Snyder Hale DD. A thermal infrared heterodyne receiver with applications to astronomy. Berkeley, CA 94720; 2003.
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Sobolewski R, Verevkin A, Gol'tsman GN, Lipatov A, Wilsher K. Ultrafast superconducting single-photon optical detectors and their applications. IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.. 2003;13(2):1151–7.
Abstract: We present a new class of ultrafast single-photon detectors for counting both visible and infrared photons. The detection mechanism is based on photon-induced hotspot formation, which forces the supercurrent redistribution and leads to the appearance of a transient resistive barrier across an ultrathin, submicrometer-width, superconducting stripe. The devices were fabricated from 3.5-nm- and 10-nm-thick NbN films, patterned into <200-nm-wide stripes in the 4 /spl times/ 4-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ or 10 /spl times/ 10-/spl mu/m/sup 2/ meander-type geometry, and operated at 4.2 K, well below the NbN critical temperature (T/sub c/=10-11 K). Continuous-wave and pulsed-laser optical sources in the 400-nm-to 3500-nm-wavelength range were used to determine the detector performance in the photon-counting mode. Experimental quantum efficiency was found to exponentially depend on the photon wavelength, and for our best, 3.5-nm-thick, 100-/spl mu/m/sup 2/-area devices varied from >10% for 405-nm radiation to 3.5% for 1550-nm photons. The detector response time and jitter were /spl sim/100 ps and 35 ps, respectively, and were acquisition system limited. The dark counts were below 0.01 per second at optimal biasing. In terms of the counting rate, jitter, and dark counts, the NbN single-photon detectors significantly outperform their semiconductor counterparts. Already-identified applications for our devices range from noncontact testing of semiconductor CMOS VLSI circuits to free-space quantum cryptography and communications.
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