Performance of an SIS receiver over 460 GHz to 640 GHz using submicron Nb junctions with integrated RF tuning circuits

P. Febvre

doi:10.1117/12.2298568

30 August 1993 Performance of an SIS receiver over 460 GHz to 640 GHz using submicron Nb junctions with integrated RF tuning circuits

P. Febvre

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 2104, 18th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves; 21043S (1993) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2298568
Event: 18th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 1993, Colchester, United Kingdom

Abstract

The most sensitive heterodyne receivers used formillimeter wave and submillimeter wave radioastronomyemploy superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS)tunnel junctions as the nonlinear mixing element. Goodperformance has recently been reported for SIS junctionsused in planar mixer circuits and waveguide mixers fromabout 300 GHz to 500 GHz. We have developed asubmillimeter wave SIS heterodyne receiver for observingimportant rotational transitions of molecules in theinterstellar medium near 550 GHz and 630 GHz. Thisreceiver is based on a waveguide mixer with an adjustablebackshort and E-plane tuner [1]. The mixer uses a highcurrent density, 0.25 gm2 Nb-A1Ox-Nb tunnel junctiondefined by electron beam lithography [2]. The capacitanceof the junction is compensated with an integrated RFsuperconductive microstrip tuning circuit. The receiverperformance has been measured over the frequency range460 GHz to 640 GHz. DSB receiver noise temperatures aslow as 200 Ã‚Â± 17 K at 540 GHz and 362 Ã‚Â± 33 K at626 GHz have been obtained. In addition, negativedifferential resistance has been observed in the DC I-Vcurve at frequencies around 491 GHz. These results indicatethat the superconductive Nb microstrip transmission linesused in the tuning circuits are low-loss and perform well upto at least 90% of the superconductor energy gap frequency.

Citation Download Citation

P. Febvre "Performance of an SIS receiver over 460 GHz to 640 GHz using submicron Nb junctions with integrated RF tuning circuits", Proc. SPIE 2104, 18th International Conference on Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 21043S (30 August 1993); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2298568

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