Nb superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers coupled with microstrip lines

Author

Ganzevles, Walter F M ; Yagoubov, Pavel ; Gao, Jian Rong ; Klapwi, Teun M. ; de Korte, Piet A J

Author_Institution

Dept. of Appl. Phys., Delft Univ. of Technol., Netherlands

Volume

11

Issue

1

fYear

2001

fDate

3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

570

Lastpage

573

Abstract

The measured direct and heterodyne response of a quasi-optically coupled superconducting Nb hot-electron bolometer mixer (HEBM) at 2.5 THz is reported. This mixer exploits a novel coupling circuit in which the microstrip line transformer is used to feed the rf signal from the twin slot antenna to the microbridge. The microstrip line is made of Au/SiO₂/Al. Using a Fourier transform spectrometer, the frequency response of such a device is measured. We find a peak response at a frequency of 1.9 THz, which is 20% lower than predicted, and a bandwidth of 1.6 THz as we expect. By applying 2.5 THz radiation from a far infrared laser, we measure an uncorrected noise temperature T_N,rec of 4200 K

Keywords

bolometers; heterodyne detection; hot carriers; microstrip components; niobium; superconducting mixers; 1.6 THz; 2.5 THz; Au-SiO₂-Al; Au/SiO₂/Al microstrip line transformer; Fourier transform spectrometer; Nb; Nb superconducting hot electron bolometer mixer; RF signal; direct response; far infrared laser; frequency response; heterodyne response; microbridge; noise temperature; quasi-optical coupling circuit; terahertz radiation; twin slot antenna; Antenna feeds; Antenna measurements; Bolometers; Coupling circuits; Electrons; Gold; Microstrip antennas; Niobium; Slot antennas; Superconducting photodetectors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.919409

Filename

919409