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Baryshev, A.; Baselmans, J. J. A.; Reker, S. F.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Vachtomin, Yu.; Maslennikov, S.; Antipov, S.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G. |
Title |
Direct detection effect in hot electron bolometer mixers |
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Year |
2005 |
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Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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Proc. 16th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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463-464 |
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NbN HEB mixers, effect of direct detection, direct detection effect |
Abstract |
NbN phonon cooled hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers are currently the most sensitive heterodyne detectors at frequencies above 1.2 THz. They combine a good sensitivity (8-15 times the quantum limit), an IF bandwidth of the order of 4-6 GHz and a wide RF bandwidth from 0.7-5.2 THz. However, for use in a space based observatory, such as Herschel, it is of vital importance that the Local Oscillator (LO) power requirement of the mixer is compatible with the low output power of present day THz LO sources. This can be achieved by reducing the mixer volume and critical current. However, the large RF bandwidth and low LO power requirement of such a mixer result in a direct detection effect, characterized by a change in the bias current of the HEB when changing the RF signal from a black body load at 300 K to one at 77 K. As a result the measured sensitivity using a 300 K and 77 K calibration load differs significantly from the small signal sensitivity relevant for astronomical observations. In this article we describe a set of dedicated experiments to characterize the direct detection effect for a small volume quasi-optical NbN phonon cooled HEB mixer. We measure the direct detection effect in a small volume (0.15 μm · 1 μm · 3.5 nm) quasi- optical NbN phonon cooled HEB mixer at 1.6 THz. We found that the small signal sensitivity of the receiver is underestimated by approximately 35% due to the direct detection effect and that the optimal operating point is shifted to higher bias voltages when using calibration loads of 300 K and 77 K. Using a 200 GHz wide band-pass filter at the 4.2 K the direct detection effect virtually disappears. Heterodyne response measurements using water vapor absorption line in a gas cell confirms the existence and a magnitude of a direct detection effect. We also propose a theoretical explanation using uniform electron heating model. This direct detection effect has important implications for the calibration procedure of these receivers in real telescope systems. We are developing Nb HEBs for a large-format, diffusion-cooled hot electron bolometer (HEB) array submillimeter camera. The goal is to produce a 64 pixel array together with the University of Arizona to be used on the HHT on Mt Graham. It is designed to detect in the 850 GHz atmospheric window. We have fabricated Nb HEBs using a new angle- deposition process, which had previously produced high quality Nb-Au bilayer HEB devices at Yale. [1] We have characterized these devices using heterodyne mixing at ~30 GHz to compare to 345 GHz tests at the University of Arizona. We can also directly compare our Nb HEB mixers to SIS mixers in this same 345 GHz system. This allows us to rigorously calibrate the system’s losses and extract the mixer noise temperature in a well characterized mixer block, before undertaking the 850 GHz system. Here we give a report on the initial devices we have fabricated and characterized. * Department of Applied Physics, Yale University ** Department of Astronomy, University of Arizona [1] Applied Physics Letters 84, Number 8; p.1404-7, Feb 23 (2004) |
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1475 |
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Vachtomin, Y. B.; Antipov, S. V.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Smirnov, K. V.; Polyakov, S. L.; Zhang, W.; Svechnikov, S. I.; Kaurova, N. S.; Grishina, E. V.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol’tsman, G. N. |
Title |
Quasioptical hot electron bolometer mixers based on thin NBN films for terahertz region |
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Conference Article |
Year |
2006 |
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Proc. 16th Int. Crimean Microwave and Telecommunication Technology |
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Proc. 16th Int. Crimean Microwave and Telecommunication Technology |
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2 |
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688-689 |
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NbN HEB mixers |
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Presented in this paper are the performances of HEB mixers based on 2-3.5 nm thick NbN films integrated with log-periodic spiral antenna. Double side-band receiver noise temperature values are 1300 K and 3100 K at 2.5 THz and at 3.8 THz, respectively. Mixer gain bandwidth is 5.2 GHz. Local oscillator power is 1-3 muW for mixers with different active area |
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Russian |
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1445 |
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Vachtomin, Y. B.; Antipov, S. V.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Smirnov, K. V.; Polyakov, S. L.; Kaurova, N. S.; Grishina, E. V.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol'tsman, G. N. |
Title |
Noise temperature measurements of NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometer mixer at 2.5 and 3.8 THz |
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Conference Article |
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2004 |
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Proc. 15th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal ![sorted by Abbreviated Journal field, descending order (down)](img/sort_desc.gif) |
Proc. 15th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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236-241 |
Keywords |
HEB mixer, NbN, direct detection effect |
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We present the results of noise temperature measurements of NbN phonon-cooled HEB mixers based on a 3.5 nm NbN film deposited on a high-resistivity Si substrate with a 200 nm – thick MgO buffer layer. The mixer element was integrated with a log-periodic spiral antenna. The noise temperature measurements were performed at 2.5 THz and at 3.8 THz local oscillator frequencies for the 3 µm x 0.2 µm active area devices. The best uncorrected receiver noise temperatures found for these frequencies are 1300 K and 3100 K, respectively. A water vapour discharge laser was used as the LO source. We also present the results of direct detection contribution to the measured Y-factor and of a possible error of noise temperature calculation. This error was more than 8% for the mixer with in-plane dimensions of 2.4 x 0.16 µm 2 at the optimal noise temperature point. The use of a mesh filter enabled us to avoid the effect of direct detection and decrease optical losses by 0.5 dB. The paper is concluded by the investigation results of the mixer polarization response. It was shown that the polarization can differ from the circular one at 3.8 THz by more than 2 dB. |
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Northampton, Massachusetts, USA |
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344 |
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Smirnov, K. V.; Vachtomin, Yu. B.; Antipov, S. V.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Kaurova, N. S.; Drakinsky, V. N.; Voronov, B. M.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Semenov, A. D.; Richter, H.; Hubers, H.-W. |
Title |
Noise and gain performance of spiral antenna coupled HEB mixers at 0.7 THz and 2.5 THz |
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Conference Article |
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2003 |
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Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal ![sorted by Abbreviated Journal field, descending order (down)](img/sort_desc.gif) |
Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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405-412 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
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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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1502 |
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Antipov, S. V.; Svechnikov, S. I.; Smirnov, K. V.; Vakhtomin, Y. B.; Finkel, M. I.; Goltsman, G. N.; Gershenzon, E. M. |
Title |
Noise temperature of quasioptical NbN hot electron bolometer mixers at 900 GHz |
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Journal Article |
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2001 |
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Physics of Vibrations |
Abbreviated Journal ![sorted by Abbreviated Journal field, descending order (down)](img/sort_desc.gif) |
Physics of Vibrations |
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9 |
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4 |
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242-245 |
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NbN HEB mixers |
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1069-1227 |
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