Noise characteristics of a NbN hot-electron mixer at 2.5 THz

Author

Semenov, A.D. ; Gousev, Y.P. ; Renk, K.F. ; Voronov, B.M. ; Gol´tsman, G.N. ; Gershenzon, E.M. ; Schwaab, G.W. ; Feinaugle, R.

Author_Institution

Inst. fur Angewandte Phys., Regensburg Univ., Germany

Volume

7

Issue

2

fYear

1997

fDate

6/1/1997 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

3572

Lastpage

3575

Abstract

The noise temperature of a NbN phonon cooled hot-electron mixer has been measured at a frequency of 2.5 THz for various operating conditions. We obtained for optimal operation a double sideband mixer noise temperature of /spl ap/14000 K and a system conversion loss of /spl ap/23 dB at intermediate frequencies up to 1 GHz. The dependences of the mixer noise temperature on the bias voltage, local oscillator power, and intermediate frequency were consistent with the phenomenological description based on the effective temperature approximation.

Keywords

electron-phonon interactions; hot carriers; niobium compounds; submillimetre wave mixers; superconducting device noise; superconducting device testing; superconducting microbridges; superconducting microwave devices; 1 GHz; 2.5 THz; 23 dB; I-V characteristics; NbN; NbN hot-electron mixer; bias voltage; double sideband mixer noise temperature; effective temperature approximation; local oscillator power; mixer noise temperature; noise characteristics; noise temperature; operating conditions; phenomenological description; phonon cooled hot-electron mixer; system conversion loss; Extraterrestrial measurements; Frequency; Local oscillators; Mixers; Space technology; Superconducting device noise; Superconducting transition temperature; Superconducting transmission lines; Temperature dependence; Temperature sensors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/77.622171

Filename

622171