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Author Pütz, P.; Honingh, C. E.; Jacobs, K.; Justen, M.; Schultz, M.; Stutzki, J.
Title Terahertz hot electron bolometer waveguide mixers for GREAT Type Journal Article
Year 2012 Publication Astron. Astrophys. Abbreviated Journal A&A
Volume 542 Issue Pages L2
Keywords (up) HEB mixer, applications
Abstract Context. Supplementing the publications based on the first-light observations with the German REceiver for Astronomy at Terahertz frequencies (GREAT) on SOFIA, we present background information on the underlying heterodyne detector technology. This Letter complements the GREAT instrument Letter and focuses on the mixers itself.

Aims. We describe the superconducting hot electron bolometer (HEB) detectors that are used as frequency mixers in the L1 (1400 GHz), L2 (1900 GHz), and M (2500 GHz) channels of GREAT. Measured performance of the detectors is presented and background information on their operation in GREAT is given.

Methods. Our mixer units are waveguide-based and couple to free-space radiation via a feedhorn antenna. The HEB mixers are designed, fabricated, characterized, and flight-qualified in-house. We are able to use the full intermediate frequency bandwidth of the mixers using silicon-germanium multi-octave cryogenic low-noise amplifiers with very low input return loss.

Results. Superconducting HEB mixers have proven to be practical and sensitive detectors for high-resolution THz frequency spectroscopy on SOFIA. We show that our niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN) material HEBs on silicon nitride (SiN) membrane substrates have an intermediate frequency (IF) noise roll-off frequency above 2.8 GHz, which does not limit the current receiver IF bandwidth. Our mixer technology development efforts culminate in the first successful operation of a waveguide-based HEB mixer at 2.5 THz and deployment for radioastronomy. A significant contribution to the success of GREAT is made by technological development, thorough characterization and performance optimization of the mixer and its IF interface for receiver operation on SOFIA. In particular, the development of an optimized mixer IF interface contributes to the low passband ripple and excellent stability, which GREAT demonstrated during its initial successful astronomical observation runs.
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Call Number Serial 907
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Author Semenov, A. D.; Hübers, H.-W.; Schubert, J.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Elantiev, A. I.; Voronov, B. M.; Gershenzon, E. M.
Title Design and performance of the lattice-cooled hot-electron terahertz mixer Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication J. Appl. Phys. Abbreviated Journal J. Appl. Phys.
Volume 88 Issue 11 Pages 6758-6767
Keywords (up) HEB mixer, charge imbalance, HF current distribution
Abstract We present the measurements and the theoreticalmodel of the frequency-dependent noise temperature of a superconductor lattice-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixer in the terahertz frequency range. The increase of the noise temperature with frequency is a cumulative effect of the nonuniform distribution of the high-frequency current in the bolometer and the charge imbalance, which occurs at the edges of the normal domain and at the contacts with normal metal. We show that under optimal operation the fluctuation sensitivity of the mixer is determined by thermodynamic fluctuations of the noise power, whereas at small biases there appears additional noise, which is probably due to the flux flow. We propose the prescription of how to minimize the influence of the current distribution on the mixer performance.
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ISSN 0021-8979 ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 306
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Author Shcherbatenko, M.; Tretyakov, I.; Lobanov, Yu.; Maslennikov, S. N.; Kaurova, N.; Finkel, M.; Voronov, B.; Goltsman, G.; Klapwijk, T. M.
Title Nonequilibrium interpretation of DC properties of NbN superconducting hot electron bolometers Type Journal Article
Year 2016 Publication Appl. Phys. Lett. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 109 Issue 13 Pages 132602
Keywords (up) HEB mixer, contacts
Abstract We present a physically consistent interpretation of the dc electrical properties of niobiumnitride (NbN)-based superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers, using concepts of nonequilibrium superconductivity. Through this, we clarify what physical information can be extracted from the resistive transition and the dc current-voltage characteristics, measured at suitably chosen temperatures, and relevant for device characterization and optimization. We point out that the intrinsic spatial variation of the electronic properties of disordered superconductors, such as NbN, leads to a variation from device to device.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 1107
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Author Karasik, B. S.; Il'in, K. S.; Pechen, E. V.; Krasnosvobodtsev, S. I.
Title Diffusion cooling mechanism in a hot-electron NbC microbolometer mixer Type Journal Article
Year 1996 Publication Applied Physics Letters Abbreviated Journal Appl. Phys. Lett.
Volume 68 Issue 16 Pages 2285-2287
Keywords (up) HEB mixer, diffusion cooling channel, diffusion channel
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ISSN 0003-6951 ISBN Medium
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Notes Approved no
Call Number Serial 262
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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 (up) 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.
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Notes Approved no
Call Number RPLAB @ gujma @ Serial 724
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