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Author Huebers, H.-W.; Semenov, A.; Richter, H.; Birk, M.; Krocka, M.; Mair, U.; Smirnov, K.; Gol’tsman, G. N.; Voronov, B. M.
Title Superconducting hot electron bolometer as mixer for far-infrared heterodyne receivers Type Conference Article
Year 2003 Publication Proc. SPIE Abbreviated Journal Proc. SPIE
Volume 4855 Issue Pages 395-401
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract Heterodyne receivers for applications in astronomy need quantum limited sensitivity. In instruments which are currently under development for SOFIA or Herschel superconducting hot electron bolometers (HEB) will be used to achieve this goal at frequencies above 1.4 THz. We present results of the development of a phonon-cooled NbN HEB mixer for GREAT, the German Receiver for Astronomy at Terahertz Frequencies, which will be flown aboard SOFIA. The mixer is a small superconducting bridge incorporated in a planar feed antenna and a hyperhemispherical lens. Mixers with logarithmic-spiral and double-slot feed antennas have been investigated with respect to their noise temperature, conversion loss, linearity and beam pattern. At 2.5 THz a double sideband noise temperature of 2200 K was achieved. The conversion loss was 17 dB. The response of the mixer was linear up to 400 K load temperature. The performance was verified by measuring an emission line of methanol at 2.5 THz. The measured linewidth is in good agreement with the linewidth deduced from pressure broadening measurements at millimeter wavelength. The results demonstrate that the NbN HEB is very well suited as a mixer for far-infrared heterodyne receivers.
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Corporate Author Thesis (up)
Publisher SPIE Place of Publication Tucson, USA Editor Phillips, T. G.; Zmuidzinas, J.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Presented at the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) Conference Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume 4855 Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference Millimeter and Submillimeter Detectors for Astronomy
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 335
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Author Semenov, A. D.; Hübers, Heinz-Wilhelm; Richter, H.; Birk, M.; Krocka, M.; Mair, U.; Vachtomin, Yu. B.; Finkel, M. I.; Antipov, S. V.; Voronov, B. M.; Smirnov, K. V.; Kaurova, N. S.; Drakinski, V. N.; Gol'tsman, G. N.
Title Superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixer for terahertz heterodyne receivers Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 168-171
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract We present recent results showing the development of superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer for German receiver for astronomy at terahertz frequencies and terahertz limb sounder. The mixer is incorporated into a planar feed antenna, which has either logarithmic spiral or double-slot configuration, and backed on a silicon lens. The hybrid antenna had almost frequency independent and symmetric radiation pattern slightly broader than expected for a diffraction limited antenna. At 2.5 THz the best 2200 K double side-band receiver noise temperature was achieved across a 1 GHz intermediate frequency bandwidth centred at 1.5 GHz. For this operation regime, a receiver conversion efficiency of -17 dB was directly measured and the loss budget was evaluated. The mixer response was linear at load temperatures smaller than 400 K. Implementation of the MgO buffer layer on Si resulted in an increased 5.2 GHz gain bandwidth. The receiver was tested in the laboratory environment by measuring a methanol emission line at 2.5 THz.
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Corporate Author Thesis (up)
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 Serial 343
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Author Semenov, A.; Goltsman, G.; Korneev, A.
Title Quantum detection by current carrying superconducting film Type Journal Article
Year 2001 Publication Phys. C: Supercond. Abbreviated Journal Phys. C: Supercond.
Volume 351 Issue 4 Pages 349-356
Keywords quantum detection, phase slip centers, quasiparticle diffusion
Abstract We describe a novel quantum detection mechanism in the superconducting film carrying supercurrent. The mechanism incorporates growing normal domain and breaking of superconductivity by the bias current. A single photon absorbed in the film creates transient normal spot that causes redistribution of the current and, consequently, increase of the current density in superconducting areas. When the current density exceeds the critical value, the film switches into resistive state and generates the voltage pulse. Analysis shows that a submicron-wide film of conventional low temperature superconductor operated in liquid helium may detect single far-infrared photon. The amplitude and duration of the voltage pulse are in the millivolt and picosecond range, respectively. The quantitative model is presented that allows simulation of the detector utilizing this detection mechanism.
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Corporate Author Thesis (up)
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0921-4534 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 507
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Author Semenov, A.; Engel, A.; Il'in, K.; Gol'tsman, G.; Siegel, M.; Hübers, H.-W.
Title Ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 21 Issue 3 Pages 171-178
Keywords NbN SSPD, SNSPD
Abstract We analyze the ultimate performance of a superconducting quantum detector in order to meet requirements for applications in near-infrared astronomy and X-ray spectroscopy. The detector exploits a combined detection mechanism, in which avalanche quasiparticle multiplication and the supercurrent jointly produce a voltage response to a single absorbed photon via successive formation of a photon-induced and a current-induced normal hotspot in a narrow superconducting strip. The response time of the detector should increase with the photon energy providing energy resolution. Depending on the superconducting material and operation conditions, the cut-off wavelength for the single-photon detection regime varies from infrared waves to visible light. We simulated the performance of the background-limited infrared direct detector and X-ray photon counter utilizing the above mechanism. Low dark count rate and intrinsic low-frequency cut-off allow for realizing a background limited noise equivalent power of 10−20 W Hz−1/2 for a far-infrared direct detector exposed to 4-K background radiation. At low temperatures, the intrinsic response time of the counter is rather determined by diffusion of nonequilibrium electrons than by the rate of energy transfer to phonons. Therefore, thermal fluctuations do not hamper energy resolution of the X-ray photon counter that should be better than 10−3 for 6-keV photons. Comparison of new data obtained with a Nb based detector and previously reported results on NbN quantum detectors support our estimates of ultimate detector performance.
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Corporate Author Thesis (up)
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 1286-0042 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 534
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Author Semenov, A. D.; Il'in, K.; Siegel, M.; Smirnov, A.; Pavlov, S.; Richter, H.; Hübers, H.-W.
Title Evidence of non-bolometric mixing in the bandwidth of a hot-electron bolometer Type Journal Article
Year 2006 Publication Superconductor Science and Technology Abbreviated Journal Supercond. Sci. Technol.
Volume 19 Issue 10 Pages 1051-1056
Keywords HEB
Abstract
Address
Corporate Author Thesis (up)
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0953-2048 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 536
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