Ekström H, Kroug M, Belitsky V, Kollberg E, Olsson H, Goltsman G, et al. Hot electron mixers for THz applications. In: Rolfe EJ, Pilbratt G, editors. Proc. 30th ESLAB.; 1996. p. 207–10.
Abstract: We have measured the noise performance of 35 A thin NbN HEB devices integrated with spiral antennas on antireflection coated silicon substrate lenses at 620 GHz. From the noise measurements we have determined a total conversion gain of the receiver of—16 dB, and an intrinsic conversion of about-10 dB. The IF bandwidth of the 35 A thick NbN devices is at least 3 GHz. The DSB receiver noise temperature is less than 1450 K. Without mismatch losses, which is possible to obtain with a shorter device, and with reduced loss from the beamsplitter, we expect to achieve a DSB receiver noise temperature of less ‘than 700 K.
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Yagoubov P, Gol'tsman G, Voronov B, Svechnikov S, Cherednichenko S, Gershenzon E, et al. Quasioptical phonon-cooled NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer at THz frequencies. In: Proc. 7th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 1996. p. 303–17.
Abstract: In our experiments we tested phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometer (HEB) quasioptical mixer based on spiral antenna designed for 0.5-1.2 THz frequency band and fabricated on sapphire, Si-coated sapphire and high resistivity silicon substrates. HEB devices were produced from thin superconducting NbN film 3.5-6 nm thick with the critical temperature of about 11-12 K. For these devices we achieved the receiver noise temperature T R (DSB) = 3000 K in the 500-700 GHz frequency range and an IF bandwidth of 3-4 GHz. Prelimanary measurements at frequencies 1-1.2 THz resulted the receiver noise temperature about 9000 K (DSB).
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Gerecht E, Musante CF, Wang Z, Yngvesson KS, Mueller ER, Waldman J, et al. Optimization of hot eleciron bolometer mixing efficiency in NbN at 119 micrometer wavelength. In: Proc. 7th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 1996. p. 584–600.
Abstract: We describe an investigation of a NbN HEB mixer for 2.5 THz. An intrinsic conversion loss of 23 dB has been measured with a two-laser measurement technique. The conversion loss was limited by the LO power available and is expected to decrease to 10 dB or less when sufficient LO power is available. For this initial experiment we used a prototype device which is directly coupled to the laser beams. We present results for a back-short technique that improves the optical coupling to the device and describe our progress for an antenna-coupled device with a smaller dimension. Based on our measured data for conversion loss and device output noise level, we predict that NbN HEB mixers will be capable of achieving DSB receiver noise temperatures of ten times the quantum noise limit in the THz range.
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Kawamura J, Blundell R, Tong C-YE, Gol'tsman G, Gershenzon E, Voronov B. NbN hot-electron mixer measurements at 200 GHz. In: Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 1995. p. 254–61.
Abstract: We present noise and gain measurements of resistively driven NbN hot-electron mixers near 200 GHz. The device geometry is chosen so that the dominant cooling process of the hot-electrons is their interaction with the lattice. Except for a single batch, the intermediate frequency cut-off of these mixer elements is – 3 700 MHz, and has shown little variation among other batches of devices. At 100 MHz we measured intrinsic mixer losses as low as —3 dB. We measured the noise temperatures at several intermediate frequencies, and for the best de- vice at 137 MHz with 20 MHz bandwidth, we measured 2000 K; using a low-noise first- stage amplifier at 1.5 GHz with 200 MHz bandwidth, the receiver noise temperature measured 2800 K. We estimate that the noise contribution from the mixer is 500 K and the total losses are —15 dB at 137 MHz.
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Gerecht E, Musante CF, Schuch R, Lutz CR, Jr., Yngvesson KS, et al. Hot electron detection and mixing experiments in NbN at 119 micrometer wavelength. In: Proc. 6th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.; 1995. p. 284–93.
Abstract: We have performed preliminary experiments with the goal of demonstrating a Hot Electron Bolometric (HEB) mixer for a 119 micrometer wavelength (2.5 THz). We have chosen a NbN device of size 700 x 350 micrometers. This device can easily be coupled to a laser LO source, which is advantageous for performing a prototype experiment. The relatively large size of the device means that the LO power required is in the mW range; this power can be easily obtained from a THz laser source. We have measured the amount of laser power actually absorbed in the device, and from this have estimated the best optical coupling loss to be about 10 di . We are developing methods for improving the optical coupling further. Preliminary measurements of the response of the device to a chopped black-body have not yet resulted in a measured receiver noise temperature. We expect to be able to complete this measurement in the near future.
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