Wide-bandwidth electron bolometric mixers: a 2DEG prototype and potential for low-noise THz receivers

Author

Yang, Jian-Xun ; Agahi, Farid ; Dai, Dong ; Musante, Charles F. ; Grammer, Wes ; Lau, Kei May ; Yngvesson, K. Sigfrid

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Massachusetts Univ., Amherst, MA, USA

Volume

41

Issue

4

fYear

1993

fDate

4/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

581

Lastpage

589

Abstract

A new type of electron bolometric (hot electron) mixer is presented. The authors have demonstrated a three-order-of-magnitude improvement in the bandwidth compared with previously known types of electron bolometric mixers, by using the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) medium at the hetero-interface between AlGaAs and GaAs. Both in-house, MOCVD-grown material and MBE material were tested with similar results. The conversion loss (L_c) at 94 GHz is presently 18 dB for a mixer operating at 20 K, and calculations indicate that L_c can be decreased to about 10 dB in future devices. Calculated and measured curves of L_c versus P_Lo and I_DC, respectively, agree well. It is argued that there the several different known configurations of electron bolometric mixers will all show wide bandwidth, and that these devices are likely to become important as low-noise terahertz receivers in the future

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; bolometers; cryogenics; gallium arsenide; hot carriers; losses; mixers (circuits); radio receivers; radiotelescopes; semiconductor device noise; semiconductor devices; solid-state microwave circuits; submillimetre wave devices; two-dimensional electron gas; 10 to 18 dB; 20 K; 2DEG prototype; 94 GHz to 1 THz; EHF; GaAs-AlGaAs; MBE material; MOCVD-grown material; THF; conversion loss; electron bolometric mixers; hetero-interface; hot electron; low-noise THz receivers; radioastronomy; terahertz receivers; two-dimensional electron gas; wide bandwidth; Acoustical engineering; Bandwidth; Electrons; Frequency; Gallium arsenide; Microwave technology; Prototypes; Space technology; Temperature distribution; Temperature sensors;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.231649

Filename

231649