Title :
A broad-band low-noise SIS receiver for submillimeter astronomy
Author :
Büttgenbach, Thomas H. ; Miller, Ronald E. ; Wengler, Michael J. ; Watson, Dan M. ; Phillips, T.G.
Author_Institution :
Div. of Phys., Math & Astron., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
A quasi-optical heterodyne receiver using a Pb-alloy superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction as the detector and a planar logarithmic spiral antenna for the RF coupling is described, and its performance is compared with the predicted performance of a theoretical model. Noise measurements were made in the laboratory at frequencies between 115 GHz and 761 GHz, yielding double-sideband noise temperatures ranging from 33 K to 1100 K. The receiver has also been used for astronomical spectroscopy on the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory (Mauna Kea, Hawaii) at 115, 230, 345, and 492 GHz.<>
Keywords :
radiotelescopes; receivers; solid-state microwave circuits; submillimetre astronomy; submillimetre wave devices; superconducting junction devices; 115 to 761 GHz; Caltech Submillimeter Observatory; EHF; Pb-alloy; PbInAu; RF coupling; THF; astronomical spectroscopy; double-sideband noise temperatures; low-noise SIS receiver; noise measurements; planar logarithmic spiral antenna; quasi-optical heterodyne receiver; radioastronomy; radiotelescopes; submillimeter astronomy; superconductor-insulator-superconductor; tunnel junction; Antenna theory; Astronomy; Detectors; Josephson junctions; Predictive models; Radio frequency; Receiving antennas; Spirals; Superconducting device noise; Superconducting devices;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
