Fiore A, Marsili F, Bitauld D, Gaggero A, Leoni R, Mattioli F, et al. Counting photons using a nanonetwork of superconducting wires. In: Cheng M, editor. Nano-Net. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg; 2009. p. 120–2.
Abstract: We show how the parallel connection of photo-sensitive superconducting nanowires can be used to count the number of photons in an optical pulse, down to the single-photon level. Using this principle we demonstrate photon-number resolving detectors with unprecedented sensitivity and speed at telecommunication wavelengths.
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Merkel HF, Yagoubov PA, Kroug M, Khosropanah P, Kollberg EL, Gol’tsman GN, et al. Noise temperature and absorbed LO power measurement methods for NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric mixers at terahertz frequencies. In: Proc. 28th European Microwave Conf. Vol 1.; 1998. p. 294–9.
Abstract: In this paper the absorbed LO power requirements and the noise performance of NbN based phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric (HEB) quasioptical mixers are investigated for RF frequencies in the 0.55-1.1 range The minimal measured DSB noise temperatures are about 500 K at 640 GHz, 600 K at 750 GHz, 850 K at 910 GHz and 1250 K at 1.1 THz. The increase in noise temperature at 1.1THz is attributed to water absorption. The absorbed LO power is measured using a calorimetric approach. The results are subsequently corrected for lattice heating. These values are compared to results of a novel one dimensional hot spot mixer models and to a more traditional isotherm method which tends to underestimate the absorbed LO power for small bias powers. Typically a LO power between 50nW and 100nW is needed to pump the device to the optimal operating point.
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Il’in KS, Milostnaya II, Verevkin AA, Gol’tsman GN, Gershenzon EM, Sobolewski R. Ultimate quantum efficiency of a superconducting hot-electron photodetector. Appl Phys Lett. 1998;73(26):3938–40.
Abstract: The quantum efficiency and current and voltage responsivities of fast hot-electron photodetectors, fabricated from superconducting NbN thin films and biased in the resistive state, have been shown to reach values of 340, 220 A/W, and 4×104 V/W,
respectively, for infrared radiation with a wavelength of 0.79 μm. The characteristics of the photodetectors are presented within the general model, based on relaxation processes in the nonequilibrium electron heating of a superconducting thin film. The observed, very high efficiency and sensitivity of the superconductor absorbing the photon are explained by the high multiplication rate of quasiparticles during the avalanche breaking of Cooper pairs.
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Tong C-YE, Meledin D, Loudkov D, Blundell R, Erickson N, Kawamura J, et al. A 1.5 THz Hot-Electron Bolometer mixer operated by a planar diode based local oscillator. In: IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest. Vol 2.; 2003. p. 751–4.
Abstract: We have developed a 1.5 THz superconducting NbN Hot-Electron Bolometer mixer. It is operated by an all-solid-state Local Oscillator comprising of a cascade of 4 planar doublers following an MMIC based W-band power amplifier. The threshold available pump power is estimated to be 1 /spl mu/W.
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Ozhegov RV, Gorshkov KN, Smirnov KV, Gol’tsman GN, Filippenko LV, Koshelets VP. Terahertz imaging system based on superconducting integrated receiver. In: Proc. 2-nd Int. Conf. Terahertz and Microwave radiation: Generation, Detection and Applications.; 2010. p. 20–2.
Abstract: The development of terahertz imaging instruments for security systems is on the cutting edge of terahertz technology. We are developing a THz imaging system based on a superconducting integrated receiver (SIR). An SIR is a new type of heterodyne receiver based on an SIS mixer integrated with a flux-flow oscillator (FFO) and a harmonic mixer which is used for phase-locking the FFO. Developing an array of SIRs would allow obtaining amplitude and phase characteristics of incident radiation in the plane of the receiver. Employing an SIR in an imaging system means building an entirely new instrument with many advantages compare to traditional systems: i) high temperature resolution, comparable to the best results for incoherent receivers; ii) high spectral resolution allowing spectral analysis of various substances; iii) the local oscillator frequency can be varied to obtain images at different frequencies, effectively providing “color” images; iv) since a heterodyne receiver preserves the phase of the radiation, it is possible to construct 3D images. The paper presents a prototype THz imaging system using an 1 pixel SIR. We have studied the dependence of the noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) on the integration time and also possible ways of achieving best possible sensitivity. An NETD of 13 mK was obtained with an integration time of 1 sec a detection bandwidth of 4 GHz at a local oscillator frequency of 520 GHz. An important advantage of an FFO is its wide operation range: 300-700 GHz.
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