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Author Khosropanah, Pourya
Title NbN and NbTiN hot electron bolometer THz mixers Type Book Whole
Year 2003 Publication Chalmers University of Technology Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords HEB mixer, hot electron bolometer mixer, NbN, NbTiN, superconducting detector, heterodyne receiver, THz mixer, submillimeter mixer, quasioptical receiver, double slot antenna, twin slot antenna, spiral antenna, receiver noise, FTS, Fourier Transform Spectrometer
Abstract The thesis reports the development of Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixers for radio astronomy heterodyne receivers in THz frequency range. Part of this work is the fabrication of HEB devices, which are based on NbN or NbTiN superconducting thin films (â‰<a4>5 nm). They are integrated with wideband spiral or double-slot planar antennas. The mixer chips are incorporated into a quasi-optical receiver. The experimental part of this work focuses on the characterization of the receiver as a whole, and the HEB mixers as a part. Double side band receiver noise temperature and the IF bandwidth are reported for frequencies from 0.7 THz up to 2.6 THz. The spectrum of the direct response of HEB integrated with dierent antennas are measured using Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS). The effect of the bolometer size on total receiver performance and the LO power requirements is also discussed. A high-yield and reliable process for fabrication of NbN HEB mixers have been achieved. Over 100 devices with different bolometer geometry, film property and also different antennas have been fabricated and measured. The measured data enables us to discuss the impact of different parameters to the receiver overall performance.

This work has provided NbN HEB mixers to the following receivers:

TREND (Terahertz REceiver with NbN HEB Device) operating at 1.25-1.5 THz, installed in AST/RO Submillimeter Wave Telescope, Amundsen/Scott South Pole Station, in 2002-2003.

Band 6-low (1.410-1.700 THz) and 6-high (1.700-1.920 THz) of the HIFI (Heterodyne Instrument for Far Infra-red) in the Herschel Space Observatory, due to launch in 2007 by ESA (European Space Agency).

Besides, there has been continuous efforts to develop better models to explain the mixer performance more accurately. They are based on two temperature model for electrons and phonons and solving one-dimensional heat balance equations along the bolometer. The principles of these models are illustrated and the calculated results are compared with measured data.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis Ph.D. thesis
Publisher Chalmers University of Technology Place of Publication Göteborg Editor
Language Summary Language (up) 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 910
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Author Tinkham, M.; Free, J. U.; Lau, C. N.; Markovic, N.
Title Hysteretic I–V curves of superconducting nanowires Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Phys. Rev. B Abbreviated Journal
Volume 68 Issue Pages 134515(1 to 7)
Keywords MoGe nanowires, self-heating effect
Abstract Experimental I–V curves of superconducting MoGe nanowires show hysteresis for the thicker wires and none for the thinner wires. A rather quantitative account of these data for representative wires is obtained by numerically solving the one-dimensional heat flow equation to find a self-consistent distribution of temperature and local resistivity along the wire, using the measured linear resistance R(T) as input. This suggests that the retrapping current in the hysteretic I–V curves is primarily determined by heating effects, and not by the dynamics of phase motion in a tilted washboard potential as often assumed. Heating effects and thermal fluctuations from the low-resistance state to a high-resistance, quasinormal regime appear to set independent upper bounds for the switching current.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language (up) 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 918
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Author Anthore, A.; Pothier, H.; Esteve, D.
Title Density of states in a superconductor carrying a supercurrent Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication Phys. Rev. Lett. Abbreviated Journal Phys. Rev. Lett.
Volume 90 Issue 12 Pages 127001 (1 to 4)
Keywords Usadel, superconducting nanowire
Abstract We have measured the tunneling density of states (DOS) in a superconductor carrying a supercurrent or exposed to an external magnetic field. The pair correlations are weakened by the supercurrent, leading to a modification of the DOS and to a reduction of the gap. As predicted by the theory of superconductivity in diffusive metals, we find that this effect is similar to that of an external magnetic field.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language (up) Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Recommended by Klapwijk Approved no
Call Number Serial 924
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Author Zhang, Jin; Slysz, W.; Verevkin, A.; Okunev, O.; Chulkova, G.; Korneev, A.; Lipatov, A.; Gol'tsman, G. N.; Sobolewski, R.
Title Response time characterization of NbN superconducting single-photon detectors Type Journal Article
Year 2003 Publication IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. Abbreviated Journal
Volume 13 Issue 2 Pages 180-183
Keywords SSPD jitter, SNSPD jitter
Abstract We report our time-resolved measurements of NbN-based superconducting single-photon detectors. The structures are meander-type, 10-nm thick, and 200-nm wide stripes and were operated at 4.2 K. We have shown that the NbN devices can count single-photon pulses with below 100-ps time resolution. The response signal pulse width was about 150 ps, and the system jitter was measured to be 35 ps.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher IEEE Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language (up) 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 1058
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Author Baselmans, J. J. A.; Hajenius, M.; Gao, J. R.; Klapwijk, T. M.; de Korte, P. A. J.; Voronov, B.; Gol'tsman, G.
Title Noise performance of NbN hot electron bolometer mixers at 2.5 THz and its dependence on the contact resistance Type Conference Article
Year 2003 Publication Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol. Abbreviated Journal Proc. 14th Int. Symp. Space Terahertz Technol.
Volume Issue Pages 11-19
Keywords NbN HEB mixers
Abstract NbN hot electron bolometer mixers (HEBM) are at this moment the best heterodyne receivers for frequencies above 1 Thz. However, the fabrication procedure of these devices is such that the quality of the interface between the NbN superconducting film and the contact structure is not under good control. The result is a low transparency interface between the bolometer itself and the contact/antenna structure. In this paper we report a detailed experimental study on a novel idea to increase the transparency of this interface. This leads to a record sensitivity and more reproducible performance. We compare identical bolometers, coupled with a spiral antenna, with different NbN bolometer-contact pad interfaces. We find that cleaning the NbN interface alone results in an increase in the noise temperature. However, cleaning the NbN interface and adding a thin additional superconductor prior to the gold contact deposition improves the noise temperature of the HEBm with more than a factor of 2. A device with a contact pad on top of an in-situ cleaned NbN film consisting of 10 nm of NbTiN and 40 nm of gold has a DSB noise temperature of 1050 K at 2.5 THz.
Address
Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language (up) 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 1497
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