PT Journal
AU Gerecht, E
   Musante, CF
   Jian, H
   Yngvesson, KS
   Dickinson, J
   Waldman, J
   Yagoubov, PA
   Gol'tsman, GN
   Voronov, BM
   Gershenzon, EM
TI New results for NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric mixers above 1 THz
SO IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
JI IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond.
PY 1999
BP 4217
EP 4220
VL 9
IS 2
DI 10.1109/77.783955
DE NbN HEB mixers
AB NbN Hot Electron Bolometric (HEB) mixers have produced promising results in terms of DSB receiver noise temperature (2800 K at 1.56 THz). The LO source for these mixers is a gas laser pumped by a CO/sub 2/ laser and the device is quasi-optically coupled through an extended hemispherical lens and a self-complementary log-periodic toothed antenna. NbN HEBs do not require submicron dimensions, can be operated comfortably at 4.2 K or higher, and require LO power of about 100-500 nW. IF noise bandwidths of 5 GHz or greater have been demonstrated. The DC bias point is also not affected by thermal radiation at 300 K. Receiver noise temperatures below 1 THz are typically 450-600 K and are expected to gradually approach these levels above 1 THz as well. NbN HEB mixers thus are rapidly approaching the type of performance required of a rugged practical receiver for astronomy and remote sensing in the THz region.
ER