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Cherednichenko S, Kroug M, Khosropanah P, Adam A, Merkel H, Kolberg E, et al. A broadband terahertz heterodyne receiver with an NbN HEB mixer. In: Harward University, editor. Proc. 13th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Cambridge, MA, USA; 2002. p. 85–95.
Abstract: We present a broadband and low noise heterodyne receiver for 1.4-1.7 THz designed for the Hershel Space Observatory. A phonon- cooled NbN HEB mixer was integrated with a normal metal double- slot antenna and an elliptical silicon lens. DSB receiver noise temperature Tr was measured from 1 GHz through 8GHz intermediate frequency band with 50 MHz instantaneous bandwidth. At 4.2 K bath temperature and at 1.6 THz LO frequency Tr is 800 K with the receiver noise bandwidth of 5 GHz. While at 2 K bath temperature Tr was as low as 700 K. At 0.6 THz and 1.1 THz a spiral antenna integrated NbN HEB mixer showed the receiver noise temperature 500 K and 800 K, though no antireflection coating was used in this case. Tr of 1100 K was achieved at 2.5 THz while the receiver noise bandwidth was 4 GHz.
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Ejrnaes M, Cristiano R, Quaranta O, Pagano S, Gaggero A, Mattioli F, et al. A cascade switching superconducting single photon detector. Appl Phys Lett. 2007;91(26):262509 (1 to 3).
Abstract: We have realized superconducting single photon detectors with reduced inductance and increased signal pulse amplitude. The detectors are based on a parallel connection of ultrathin NbN nanowires with a common bias inductance. When properly biased, an absorbed photon induces a cascade switch of all the parallel wires generating a signal pulse amplitude of 2mV. The parallel wire configuration lowers the detector inductance and reduces the response time well below 1ns.
This work was performed in the framework of the EU project “SINPHONIA” NMP4-CT-2005-016433.
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Blundell R, Kawamura JH, Tong CE, Papa DC, Hunter TR, Gol’tsman GN, et al. A hot-electron bolometer mixer receiver for the 680-830 GHz frequency range. In: Proc. 6-th Int. Conf. Terahertz Electron. IEEE; 1998. p. 18–20.
Abstract: We describe a heterodyne receiver designed to operate in the partially transparent atmospheric windows centered on 680 and 830 GHz. The receiver incorporates a niobium nitride thin film, cooled to 4.2 K, as the phonon-cooled hot-electron mixer element. The double sideband receiver noise, measured over the frequency range 680-830 GHz, is typically 700-1300 K. The instantaneous output bandwidth of the receiver is 600 MHz. This receiver has recently been used at the SubMillimeter Telescope, jointly operated by the Steward Observatory and the Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy, for observations of the neutral carbon and CO spectral lines at 810 GHz and at 806 and 691 GHz respectively. Laboratory measurements on a second mixer in the same test receiver have yielded extended high frequency performance to 1 THz.
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Tretyakov I, Kaurova N, Voronov BM, Goltsman GN. About effect of the temperature operating conditions on the noise temperature and noise bandwidth of the terahertz range NbN hot-electron bolometers [abstract]. In: Proc. 29th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 2018. 113.
Abstract: Results of an experimental study of the noise temperature (Tn) and noise bandwidth (NBW) of the superconductor NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer as a function of its temperature (Tb) and NbN bridge length are presented. It was determined that the NBW of the mixer is significantly wider at temperatures close to the critical ones (Tc) than are values measured at 4.2 K. The NBW of the mixer measured at the heterodyne frequency of 2.5 THz at temperature Tb close to Tc was ~13 GHz, as compared with 6 GHz at Tb = 4.2 K. This experiment clearly demonstrates the limitation of the thermal flow from the NbN bridge at Tb ≪ Tc for mixers manufactured by the in situ technique. This limitation is close in its nature to the Andreev reflection on the superconductor/metal boundary. In this case, the noise temperature of the studied mixer increased from 1100 to 3800 K.
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Semenov AV, Devyatov IA, Ryabchun SA, Maslennikov SN, Maslennikova AS, Larionov PA, et al. Absorption of terahertz electromagnetic radiation in dirty superconducting film at arbitrary type of the spectral functions. Rus J Radio Electron. 2011;(10).
Abstract: A problem of absorption of high-frequency electromagnetic field in dirty superconductor is treated within Keldysh technic. Expression for the source term in the kinetic equation for quasiparticle distribution function is derived. The result is significant for deriving a consistent microscopic theory of superconducting detectors for terahertz frequency range, perspective detectors on kinetic inductance of current-biased superconducting strip and on Josephson inductance of tunnel.
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