| Records |
| Author |
Ryabchun, S.; Tong, C.-yu E.; Blundell, R.; Kimberk, R.; Gol’tsman, G. |
| Title |
Effect of microwave radiation on the stability of terahertz hot-electron bolometer mixers |
Type |
Conference Article |
Year  |
2006 |
Publication |
Proc. SPIE |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. SPIE |
| Volume |
6373 |
Issue |
|
Pages |
63730J (1 to 5) |
| Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers, hot-electron bolometer mixers, stability, Allan variance, LO power fluctuations |
| Abstract |
We report our studies of the effect of microwave radiation, with a frequency much lower than that corresponding to the energy gap of the superconductor, on the performance of the NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixer incorporated into a THz heterodyne receiver. It is shown that exposing the HEB mixer to microwave radiation does not result in a significant rise of the receiver noise temperature and degradation of the mixer conversion gain so long as the level of microwave power is small compared to the local oscillator drive. Hence the injection of a small, but controlled amount of microwave radiation enables active compensation of local oscillator power and coupling fluctuations which can significantly degrade the stability of HEB mixer receivers. |
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
SPIE |
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
Anwar, M.; DeMaria, A.J.; Shur, M.S. |
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
Terahertz Physics, Devices, and Systems |
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
|
Serial |
1441 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Ryabchun, S.; Tong, C.-Y. E.; Blundell, R.; Kimberk, R.; Gol'tsman, G. |
| Title |
Study of the effect of microwave radiation on the operation of HEB mixers in the terahertz frequency range |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
| Volume |
17 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
391-394 |
| Keywords |
NbN HEB mixers |
| Abstract |
We have investigated the effect of injecting microwave radiation, with a frequency much lower than that corresponding to the energy gap of the superconductor, on the performance of the hot-electron bolometer mixer incorporated into a THz heterodyne receiver. More specifically, we show that exposing the mixer to microwave radiation does not cause a significant rise of the receiver noise temperature and fall of the mixer conversion gain so long as the microwave power is a small fraction of local oscillator power. The injection of a small, but controlled amount of microwave power therefore enables active compensation of local oscillator power and coupling fluctuations which can significantly degrade the gain stability of hot electron bolometer mixer receivers. |
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
1051-8223 |
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
|
Serial |
1427 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Lobanov, Y.; Tong, C.; Blundell, R.; Gol'tsman, G. |
| Title |
A study of direct detection effect on the linearity of hot electron bolometer mixers |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2009 |
Publication |
Proc. 20th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. |
Abbreviated Journal |
Proc. 20th ISSTT |
| Volume |
|
Issue |
|
Pages |
282-287 |
| Keywords |
HEB mixer, direct detection effect |
| Abstract |
We have performed a study of how direct detection affects the linearity and hence the calibration of an HEB mixer. Two types of waveguide HEB devices have been used: a 0.8 THz HEB mixer and a 1.0 THz HEB mixer which is ~5 times smaller than the former. Two independent experimental approaches were used. In the ΔG/G method, the conversion gain of the HEB mixer is first measured as a function of the bias current for a number of bias voltages. At each bias setting, we carefully measure the change in the operating current when the input loads are switched. From the measured data, we can derive the expected difference in gain between the hot and cold loads. In the second method (injection method [1]), the linearity of the HEB mixer is independently measured by injecting a modulated signal for different input load temperatures. The results of both approaches confirm that there is gain compression in the operation of HEB mixers. Based on the results of our measurements, we discuss the impact of direct detection effects on the operation of HEB mixers. |
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
RPLAB @ gujma @ |
Serial |
724 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Lobanov, Y. V.; Tong, Cheuk-Yu E.; Hedden, A. S.; Blundell, R.; Gol'tsman, G. N. |
| Title |
Microwave-assisted슠measurement슠of the슠frequency슠response슠of슠terahertz슠HEB슠mixers슠with a슠fourier슠transform슠spectrometer |
Type |
Conference Article |
| Year |
2010 |
Publication |
21st International Symposium on Space Terahertz Technology |
Abbreviated Journal |
21st ISSTT |
| Volume |
|
Issue |
|
Pages |
420-423 |
| Keywords |
HEB mixer |
| Abstract |
We describe a novel method of operation of the HEB direct detector for use with a Fourier Transform Spectrometer. Instead of elevating the bath temperature, we have measured the RF response of waveguide HEB mixers by applying microwave radiation to select appropriate bias conditions. In our experiment, a microwave signal is injected into the HEB mixer via its IF port. By choosing an appropriate injection level, the device can be operated close to the desired operating point. Furthermore, we have shown that both thermal biasing and microwave injection can reproduce the same spectral response of the HEB mixer. However, with the use of microwave injection, there is no need to wait for the mixer to reach thermal equilibrium, so characterisation can be done in less time. Also, the liquid helium consumption for our wet cryostat is also reduced. We have demonstrated that the signalto-noise ratio of the FTS measurements can be improved with microwave injection. |
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
RPLAB @ gujma @ |
Serial |
725 |
| Permanent link to this record |
| |
|
| |
| Author |
Lobanov, Y.; Tong, E.; Blundell, R.; Hedden, A.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G. |
| Title |
Large-signal frequency response of an HEB mixer: from 300 MHz to terahertz |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2011 |
Publication |
IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. |
Abbreviated Journal |
|
| Volume |
21 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
628-631 |
| Keywords |
waveguide NbN HEB mixers |
| Abstract |
We present a study of the large signal frequency response of an HEB mixer over a wide frequency range. In our experiments, we have subjected the HEB mixer to incident electromagnetic radiation from 0.3 GHz to 1 THz. The mixer element is an NbN film deposited on crystalline quartz. The mixer chip is mounted in a waveguide cavity, coupled to free space with a diagonal horn. At microwave frequencies, electromagnetic radiation is applied through the coaxial bias port of the mixer block. At higher frequencies the input signal passes via the diagonal horn feed. At each frequency, the incident power is varied and a family of I-V curves is recorded. From the curves we identify 3 distinct regimes of operation of the mixer separated by the phonon relaxation frequency and the superconducting energy gap frequency observed at about 3 GHz and 660 GHz respectively. In this paper, we will present observed curves and discuss the results of our experiment. |
| Address |
|
| Corporate Author |
|
Thesis |
|
| Publisher |
|
Place of Publication |
|
Editor |
|
| Language |
|
Summary Language |
|
Original Title |
|
| Series Editor |
|
Series Title |
|
Abbreviated Series Title |
|
| Series Volume |
|
Series Issue |
|
Edition |
|
| ISSN |
|
ISBN |
|
Medium |
|
| Area |
|
Expedition |
|
Conference |
|
| Notes |
|
Approved |
no |
| Call Number |
RPLAB @ gujma @ |
Serial |
719 |
| Permanent link to this record |
