Development of Low Noise THz SIS Mixer Using an Array of Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN Junctions

被引：1

作者：

Karpov, A. ^{[1
]}

Miller, D. ^{[1
]}

Stern, J. A. ^{[2
]}

Bumble, B. ^{[2
]}

LeDuc, H. G. ^{[2
]}

Zmuidzinas, J. ^{[1
]}

机构：

[1] CALTECH, Dept Phys, Pasadena, CA 91125 USA

[2] CALTECH, Jet Prop Lab, MDL, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA

来源：

IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON APPLIED SUPERCONDUCTIVITY | 2009年 / 19卷 / 03期

关键词：

Niobium alloys; radio astronomy; submillimeter wave receivers; superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixers; THz technology; MILLIMETER; ASTRONOMY; RECEIVERS; SOFIA;

D O I：

10.1109/TASC.2009.2017913

中图分类号：

TM [电工技术]; TN [电子技术、通信技术];

学科分类号：

0808 ; 0809 ;

摘要：

We report the development of a low noise and broadband SIS mixer aimed for 1 THz channel of the Caltech Airborne Submillimeter Interstellar Medium Investigations Receiver (CASIMIR), designed for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, (SOFIA). The mixer uses an array of two 0.24 mu m(2) Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN SIS junctions with the critical current density of 30-50 kA/cm(2). An on-chip double slot planar antenna couples the mixer circuit with the telescope beam. The mixer matching circuit is made with Nb and gold films. The mixer IF circuit is designed to cover 4-8 GHz band. A test receiver with the new mixer has a low noise operation in 0.87-1.12 THz band. The minimum receiver noise measured in our experiment is 353 K (Y = 1.50). The receiver noise corrected for the loss in the LO injection beam splitter is 250 K. The combination of a broad operation band of about 250 GHz with a low receiver noise makes the new mixer a useful element for application at SOFIA.

引用

页码：305 / 308

页数：4

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