Hot-electron superconductive mixers for THz frequencies

William R. McGrath; Boris S. Karasik; Anders J. Skalare; Rolf A. Wyss; Bruce Bumble; Henry G. LeDuc

doi:10.1117/12.347111

29 April 1999 Hot-electron superconductive mixers for THz frequencies

William R. McGrath, Boris S. Karasik, Anders J. Skalare, Rolf A. Wyss, Bruce Bumble, Henry G. LeDuc

Proceedings Volume 3617, Terahertz Spectroscopy and Applications; (1999) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.347111
Event: Optoelectronics '99 - Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 1999, San Jose, CA, United States

Abstract

Superconductive hot-electron bolometer (HEB) mixers have been built and tested in the frequency range from 1.1 THz to 2.5 THz. The mixer device employs diffusion as a cooling mechanism for hot electrons. The double sideband receiver noise temperature was measured to be approximately equals 2750 K at 2.5 K at 2.5 THz; and mixer IF bandwidths as high as 9 GHz are achieved for 0.1 micrometers long devices. The local oscillator power dissipated in the HEB microbridge was in the range 20- 100 nW. Further reductions in LO power and mixer noise can be potentially achieved by using Al microbridges. The advantages and parameters of such devices are evaluated. A distributed-temperature model has been developed to properly describe the operation of the diffusion-cooled HEB mixer. The HEB mixer is a primary candidate for ground based, airborne and spaceborne heterodyne instruments at THz frequencies.

Citation Download Citation

William R. McGrath, Boris S. Karasik, Anders J. Skalare, Rolf A. Wyss, Bruce Bumble, and Henry G. LeDuc "Hot-electron superconductive mixers for THz frequencies", Proc. SPIE 3617, Terahertz Spectroscopy and Applications, (29 April 1999); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.347111

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