A Low Noise 2.7 THz Waveguide-Based Superconducting Mixer

Author

Boussaha, Faouzi M. ; Kawamura, Jonathan H. ; Stern, Jeffery A. ; Skalare, Anders ; White, Victor

Author_Institution

Jet Propulsion Lab., NASA, Pasadena, CA, USA

Volume

2

Issue

3

fYear

2012

fDate

5/1/2012 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

284

Lastpage

289

Abstract

We report on a low noise waveguide-based heterodyne mixer utilizing a superconductiang NbN hot electron bolometer (HEB) operating near 2.7 THz. The mixer is an NbN nano-bridge integrated with a gold bowtie planar antenna on an ultra-thin silicon substrate of ~ 2-3 μm thickness. To produce the waveguide embedding circuit for use at such a high frequency, we adopted a novel approach combining UV-lithography and micro-plating techniques. The mixer response agreed precisely with model predictions, and we measured a minimum uncorrected DSB receiver noise temperature of 965 K at an LO frequency of 2.74 THz.

Keywords

bolometers; hot carriers; niobium compounds; planar antennas; superconducting microbridges; superconducting mixers; ultraviolet lithography; DSB receiver noise temperature; LO frequency; NbN; Si; UV lithography; frequency 2.7 THz; gold bowtie planar antenna; low noise heterodyne mixer; microplating techniques; mixer response; model predictions; nanobridge; size 2 mum to 3 mum; superconductiang NbN hot electron bolometer; temperature 965 K; ultrathin silicon substrate; waveguide embedding circuit; waveguide-based superconducting mixer; Gold; Mixers; Noise; Optical waveguides; Receivers; Silicon; Temperature measurement; Terahertz frequency; heterodyne detection; hot electron bolometer; waveguide;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Terahertz Science and Technology, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

2156-342X

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TTHZ.2012.2189393

Filename

6178820