Title :
A 547 GHz SIS receiver employing a submicron Nb junction with an integrated matching circuit
Author :
Febvre, P. ; McGrath, W.R. ; Batelaan, P. ; Leduc, H.G. ; Bumble, B. ; Frerking, M.A. ; Hernichel, J.
Author_Institution :
Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Technol., Pasadena, CA, USA
Abstract :
A heterodyne receiver using an SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) waveguide mixer with two mechanical tuners has been built and characterized over the frequency range of 460 GHz to 630 GHz. This receiver is designed for radioastronomy applications. The mixer uses high-current-density, 0.25- mu m/sup 2/, Nb/AlO/sub x//Nb SIS tunnel junctions with integrated superconductive RF circuits to tune the junction capacitance. A DSB (double sideband) receiver noise temperature as low as 200+or-17 K has been obtained at 540 GHz. In addition, negative differential resistance has been observed in the DC I-V (current-voltage) curve at 487-491 GHz.<>
Keywords :
aluminium compounds; microwave integrated circuits; niobium; radioastronomy; superconducting integrated circuits; superconducting microwave devices; 460 to 630 GHz; 547 GHz; DC I-V curve; DSB; Nb-AlO/sub x/-Nb; SIS receiver; integrated matching circuit; mechanical tuners; negative differential resistance; radioastronomy applications; superconductive RF circuits; tunnel junctions; waveguide mixer; Capacitance; Josephson junctions; Niobium; Radio frequency; Superconducting device noise; Superconducting devices; Superconductivity; Temperature; Tuned circuits; Tuners;
Conference_Titel :
Microwave Symposium Digest, 1993., IEEE MTT-S International
Conference_Location :
Atlanta, GA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1209-0
DOI :
10.1109/MWSYM.1993.276760
