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Author |
Trifonov, A.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Lobanov, Y.; Kaurova, N.; Blundell, R.; Goltsman, G. |
Title |
Gap frequency and photon absorption in a hot electron bolometer |
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Conference Article |
Year |
2016 |
Publication |
Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 27th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
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121 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB; Si membrane |
Abstract |
The superconducting energy gap is a crucial parameter of a superconductor when used in mixing applications. In the case of the SIS mixer, the mixing process is efficient for frequencies below the energy gap, whereas, in the case of the HEB mixer, the mixing process is most efficient at frequencies above the gap, where photon absorption takes place more readily. We have investigated the photon absorption phenomenon around the gap frequency of HEB mixers based on NbN films deposited on silicon membranes. Apart from studying the pumped I-V curves of HEB devices, we have also probed them with microwave radiation, as previously described [1]. At frequencies far below the gap frequency, the pumped I-V curves show abrupt switching between the superconducting and resistive states. For the NbN HEB mixers we tested, which have critical temperatures of ~9 K, this is true for frequencies below about 400 GHz. As the pump frequency is increased beyond 400 GHz, the resistive state extends towards zero bias and at some point a small region of negative differential resistance appears close to zero bias. In this region, the microwave probe reveals that the device impedance is changing randomly with time. As the pump frequency is further increased, this random impedance change develops into relaxation oscillations, which can be observed by the demodulation of the reflected microwave probe. Initially, these oscillations take the form of several frequencies grouped together under an envelope. As we approach the gap frequency, the multiple frequency relaxation oscillations coalesce into a single frequency of a few MHz. The resultant square-wave nature of the oscillation is a clear indication that the device is in a bi-stable state, switching between the superconducting and normal state. Above the gap frequency, it is possible to obtain a pumped I-V curve with no negative differential resistance above a threshold pumping level. Below this pumping level, the device demonstrates bi-stability, and regular relaxation oscillation at a few MHz is observed as a function of pump power. The threshold pumping level is clearly related to the amount of power absorbed by the device and its phonon cooling. From the above experiment, we can derive the gap frequency of the NbN film, which is 585 GHz for our 6 μm thin silicon membrane-based device. We also confirm that the HEB mixer is not an efficient photon absorber for radiation below the gap frequency. 1. A. Trifonov et al., “Probing the stability of HEB mixers with microwave injection”, IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., vol. 25, no. 3, June 2015. |
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1204 |
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Huebers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Semenov, A.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.; Gershenzon, E. M.; Schwaab, G. W. |
Title |
NbN phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer as a mixer for THz heterodyne receivers |
Type |
Conference Article |
Year |
1999 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. SPIE |
Volume |
3828 |
Issue |
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Pages |
410-416 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
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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Spie |
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Chamberlain, J.M. |
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Terahertz Spectroscopy and Applications II |
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1477 |
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Rasulova, G. K.; Pentin, I. V.; Goltsman, G. N. |
Title |
Terahertz emission from a weakly-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice biased into three different modes of current self-oscillations |
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Journal Article |
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2019 |
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AIP Advances |
Abbreviated Journal |
AIP Advances |
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9 |
Issue |
10 |
Pages |
105220 |
Keywords |
GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice, SL, NbN HEB |
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Radio-frequency modulated terahertz (THz) emission power from weakly-coupled GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice (SL) has been increased by parallel connection of several SL mesas. Each SL mesa is a self-oscillator with its own oscillation frequency and mode. In coupled non-identical SL mesas biased at different voltages within the hysteresis loop the chaotic, quasiperiodic and frequency-locked modes of self-oscillations of current arise. THz emission was detected when three connected in parallel SL mesas were biased into the frequency-locked and quasiperiodic modes of self-oscillations of current, while in the chaotic mode of those it falls to the noise level. |
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2158-3226 |
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1274 |
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Ren, Y.; Zhang, D. X.; Zhou, K. M.; Miao, W.; Zhang, W.; Shi, S. C.; Seleznev, V.; Pentin, I.; Vakhtomin, Y.; Smirnov, K. |
Title |
10.6 μm heterodyne receiver based on a superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer and a quantum cascade laser |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2019 |
Publication |
AIP Advances |
Abbreviated Journal |
AIP Advances |
Volume |
9 |
Issue |
7 |
Pages |
075307 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers, QCL, IR |
Abstract |
We report on the development of a heterodyne receiver at mid-infrared wavelength for high-resolution spectroscopy applications. The receiver employs a superconducting NbN hot electron bolometer as a mixer and a room temperature distributed feedback quantum cascade laser operating at 10.6 μm (28.2 THz) as a local oscillator. The stabilization of the heterodyne receiver has been achieved using a feedback loop controlling the output power of the laser. Improved Allan variance times as well as a double sideband receiver noise temperature of 5000 K and a noise bandwidth of 2.8 GHz of the receiver system are demonstrated.
The work is supported in part by the National Key R&D Program of China under Grant 2018YFA0404701, by the CAS program under Grant QYZDJ-SSW-SLH043 and GJJSTD20180003, by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) under Grant 11773083, by the “Hundred Talents Program” of the “Pioneer Initiative”, and in part by the CAS Key Lab for Radio Astronomy. |
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2158-3226 |
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1293 |
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Tretyakov, I. V.; Anfertyev, V. A.; Revin, L. S.; Kaurova, N. S.; Voronov, B. M.; Vaks, V. L.; Goltsman, G. N. |
Title |
Sensitivity and resolution of a heterodyne receiver based on the NbN HEB mixer with a quantum-cascade laser as a local oscillator |
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Journal Article |
Year |
2018 |
Publication |
Radiophys. Quant. Electron. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Radiophys. Quant. Electron. |
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60 |
Issue |
12 |
Pages |
988-992 |
Keywords |
NbN HEB mixer |
Abstract |
We present the results of experimental studies of the basic characteristics and operation features of a terahertz heterodyne detector based on the superconducting NbN HEB mixer and a quantum cascade laser as a local oscillator operating at a frequency of 2.02 THz. The measured noise temperature of such a mixer amounted to 1500 K. The spectral resolution of the detector is determined by the width of the local-oscillator spectral line whose measured value does not exceed 1 MHz. The quantum-cascade laser could be linearly tuned with respect to frequency with the coefficient 7.2 MHz/mA within the limits of the current oscillation bandwidth. |
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0033-8443 |
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1307 |
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