Cherednichenko, S., Khosropanah, P., Adam, A., Merkel, H. F., Kollberg, E. L., Loudkov, D., et al. (2003). 1.4- to 1.7-THz NbN hot-electron bolometer mixer for the Herschel space observatory. In T. G. Phillips, & J. Zmuidzinas (Eds.), Proc. SPIE (Vol. 4855, pp. 361–370). SPIE.
Abstract: NbN hot- electron bolometer mixers have reached the level of 10hv/k in terms of the input noise temperature with the noise bandwidth of 4-6 GHz from subMM band up to 2.5 THz. In this paper we discuss the major characteristics of this kind of receiver, i.e. the gain and the noise bandwidth, the noise temperature in a wide RF band, bias regimes and optimisation of RF coupling to the quasioptical mixer. We present the status of the development of the mixer for Band 6 Low for Herschel Telescope.
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Cherednichenko, S., Kroug, M., Merkel, H., Khosropanah, P., Adam, A., Kollberg, E., et al. (2002). 1.6 THz heterodyne receiver for the far infrared space telescope. Phys. C: Supercond., 372-376, 427–431.
Abstract: A low noise heterodyne receiver is being developed for the terahertz range using a phonon-cooled hot-electron bolometric mixer based on 3.5 nm thick superconducting NbN film. In the 1–2 GHz intermediate frequency band the double-sideband receiver noise temperature was 450 K at 0.6 THz, 700 K at 1.6 THz and 1100 K at 2.5 THz. In the 3–8 GHz IF band the lowest receiver noise temperature was 700 K at 0.6 THz, 1500 K at 1.6 THz and 3000 K at 2.5 THz while it increased by a factor of 3 towards 8 GHz.
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Zhang, W., Khosropanah, P., Gao, J. R., Kollberg, E. L., Yngvesson, K. S., Bansal, T., et al. (2010). Quantum noise in a terahertz hot electron bolometer mixer. Appl. Phys. Lett., 96(11), 111113–(1–3).
Abstract: We have measured the noise temperature of a single, sensitive superconducting NbN hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixer in a frequency range from 1.6 to 5.3 THz, using a setup with all the key components in vacuum. By analyzing the measured receiver noise temperature using a quantum noise (QN) model for HEB mixers, we confirm the effect of QN. The QN is found to be responsible for about half of the receiver noise at the highest frequency in our measurements. The beta-factor (the quantum efficiency of the HEB) obtained experimentally agrees reasonably well with the calculated value.
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Khosropanah, P., Gao, J. R., Laauwen, W. M., Hajenius, M., & Klapwijk, T. M. (2007). Low noise NbN hot electron bolometer mixer at 4.3 THz. Appl. Phys. Lett., 91, 221111 (1 to 3).
Abstract: We have studied the sensitivity of a superconducting NbN hot electron bolometer mixer integrated with a spiral antenna at 4.3 THz. Using hot/cold blackbody loads and a beam splitter all in vacuum, we measured a double sideband receiver noise temperature of 1300 K at the optimum local oscillator (LO) power of 330 nW, which is about 12 times the quantum noise (hnu/2kB). Our result indicates that there is no sign of degradation of the mixing process at the superterahertz frequencies. Moreover, a measurement method is introduced which allows us for an accurate determination of the sensitivity despite LO power fluctuations.
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Wild, W., Kardashev, N. S., Likhachev, S. F., Babakin, N. G., Arkhipov, V. Y., Vinogradov, I. S., et al. (2009). Millimetron—a large Russian-European submillimeter space observatory. Exp. Astron., 23(1), 221–244.
Abstract: Millimetron is a Russian-led 12 m diameter submillimeter and far-infrared space observatory which is included in the Space Plan of the Russian Federation for launch around 2017. With its large collecting area and state-of-the-art receivers, it will enable unique science and allow at least one order of magnitude improvement with respect to the Herschel Space Observatory. Millimetron will be operated in two basic observing modes: as a single-dish observatory, and as an element of a ground-space very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) system. As single-dish, angular resolutions on the order of 3 to 12 arc sec will be achieved and spectral resolutions of up to a million employing heterodyne techniques. As VLBI antenna, the chosen elliptical orbit will provide extremely large VLBI baselines (beyond 300,000 km) resulting in micro-arc second angular resolution.
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