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Integrated Superconducting Receiver as a Tester for Sub-millimeter Devices at 400-600 GHz

S. V. Shitov, A. M. Shtanyuk, V. P. Koshelets, G.V. Prokopenko, Lyudmila V. Filippenko, Andrey B. Ermakov, M. Levitchev, A. V. Veretennikov, H. Kohlstedt, Alexey Vladimirovich Ustinov

Published May 1, 2000• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We report on design and first application of a laboratory-purpose tester which can in situ detect spectrum of sub-millimeter wave emission within frequency range of 400600 GHz from virtually any compact low-power source working within temperature range below 100 K. Both the receiver and the sample are placed in vacuum inside a laboratory test stick of diameter 50 mm, which is cooled down in a standard transport vessel for liquid helium. The sensor of the tester is designed on a base of the superconducting integrated receiver (SIR) chip working below 5 K. The chip sensor, beside the quasi-optical SIS mixer, contains an internal electronically tuned superconducting local oscillator, that provide low-noise operation at the level below 300 K DSB at central frequencies of 480-520 GHz as measured with a black body at the position of the test source. The signal detected by the SIS mixer is boosted by a helum-cold low-noise amplifier (G=20 dB, TN=10 K) within frequency range 12 GHz and then by a second room temperature amplifier (G=53 dB, TN=90 K) both mounted within the same test stick. The output level is sufficient for direct application to most of standard RF recorders, e. g. for a spectrum analyzer. To detect weak signals, a compact chopper-wing has been designed and placed at the input of the receiver module. Details of design and main test data measured at DC and RF are reported.

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•Jan 1, 1997•0 citations
We report on design and first application of a laboratory-purpose tester which can in situ detect spectrum of sub-millimeter wave emission within frequency range of 400600 GHz from virtually any compact low-power source working within temperature range below 100 K. Both the receiver and the sample are placed in vacuum inside a laboratory test stick of diameter 50 mm, which is cooled down in a standard transport vessel for liquid helium. The sensor of the tester is designed on a base of the superconducting integrated receiver (SIR) chip working below 5 K. The chip sensor, beside the quasi-optical SIS mixer, contains an internal electronically tuned superconducting local oscillator, that provide low-noise operation at the level below 300 K DSB at central frequencies of 480-520 GHz as measured with a black body at the position of the test source. The signal detected by the SIS mixer is boosted by a helum-cold low-noise amplifier (G=20 dB, TN=10 K) within frequency range 12 GHz and then by a second room temperature amplifier (G=53 dB, TN=90 K) both mounted within the same test stick. The output level is sufficient for direct application to most of standard RF recorders, e. g. for a spectrum analyzer. To detect weak signals, a compact chopper-wing has been designed and placed at the input of the receiver module. Details of design and main test data measured at DC and RF are reported.
A laboratory-purpose submillimeter wavelength receiver is developed and tested. The device can in situ detect the spectrum of an rf source working below 100 K within the frequency range 400-600 GHz. A sample is placed close to the receiver sensor; both are in vacuum inside the probe stick and cooled by liquid helium in the standard transport dewar. The quasioptical sensor design is based on the superconducting integrated receiver chip; its noise temperature below 300 K was measured at /spl ap/500 GHz with a variable-temperature black body. The output level of the tester is suitable for the direct readout by a spectrum analyzer. Details of the design and main test data are reported.
The concept of a fully superconducting integrated receiver is developed and experimentally tested. This single-chip sub-mm wave receiver includes a planar antenna integrated with a SIS mixer and an internal superconducting Josephson-type local oscillator (flux-flow oscillator, FFO). The receiver is tested with a DSB noise temperature below 100 K around 500 GHz being pumped by its internal local oscillator (LO). The instantaneous bandwidth of 15-20% is estimated via FTS and heterodyne measurements that meet the requirements of most practical applications. The far field antenna beam is measured as ≈ f /10 with sidelobes below -16 dB that is suitable for coupling to a real telescope antenna. A nine-pixel imaging array receiver with each pixel containing an internally pumped receiver chip is developed and tested. A linewidth of the phase locked FFO as low as 1 Hz is measured relative to a reference oscillator in the frequency range 270-440 GHz. An rf amplifier on the base of a dc SQUID is developed and tested showing a noise figure below 10 K at 4 GHz and a bandwidth of about 300 MHz. This amplifier can be included as a part of an integrated receiver that is valuable for array applications.
An imaging array receiver for the submillimeter wavelength is being developed. Each of 9 pixels of the array receiver is a single-chip superconducting receiver with dimensions 4 mm x 4 mm x 0.2 mm and contains a planar antenna, an all-Nb SIS mixer, a superconducting local oscillator (FFO) and the necessary coupling circuitry. A prototype design of the array receiver block, its optics and magnetic shielding are discussed. Experimental data for the integrated receiver for high frequency range of 550-700 GHz are reported. A first sample has shown receiver noise temperature of 560 K (DSB) at 645 GHz with optics optimized for 500 GHz. Smooth and permanent tuning has been demonstrated for the integrated LO over frequency range 610-700 GHz. To obtain ultimate coupling for both signals from the antenna and from the integrated LO, the integrated receiver concept with a quasioptical balanced SIS mixer is suggested.
The concept of the fully Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) has been developed and experimentally demonstrated. The single-chip submm wave receiver includes a planar antenna integrated with a SIS mixer, which is pumped by an internal superconducting Flux Flow Oscillator (FFO) as local oscillator (LO). A DSB noise temperature below 100 K has been demonstrated around 500 GHz. Heterodyne measurements have shown that the instantaneous bandwidth of the receiver is 15 – 20 % which meets the requirements of practical applications. The double-dipole lens-antenna SIS mixer has an antenna beam ≈ f/9 with sidelobes below- 16 dB. This enables an efficient coupling of the SIR to the telescope antenna. With the FFO phase locked in the frequency range 270- 440 GHz a linewidth as low as 1 Hz has been measured relative to a reference oscillator. A compact array of 9 SIRs has been developed and tested. Each pixel contains an internally pumped receiver chip, which is mounted on the back of an elliptical silicon lens. A noise temperature of about 150 K has been measured at 500 GHz using the internal FFO for the imaging array of Integrated Receivers.
A Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) comprises on one chip all elements needed for heterodyne detection: a low-noise SIS mixer with quasioptical antenna, a Flux-Flow Oscillator (FFO) acting as a Local Oscillator (LO) and a second SIS harmonic mixer (HM) for the FFO phase locking. Light weight and low power consumption combined with nearly quantum limited sensitivity and a wide tuning range of the FFO make SIR a perfect candidate for many practical applications. In particular, the SIR developed for novel balloon borne instrument TELIS (TErahertz and submillimeter LImb Sounder) covers frequency range 480 - 650 GHz. As a result of recent receiver's optimization the DSB noise temperature was measured as low as 120 K for the SIR with intermediate frequency (IF) band 4 - 8 GHz. The capability of the SIR for high resolution atmospheric spectroscopy has been successfully proven with scientific balloon flights from Kiruna, North Sweden. Diurnal cycles of ClO and BrO has been observed with BrO line level of only about 0.5 K. Possibility to use the SIRs for analysis of the breathed out air at medical survey has been demonstrated.
A fully superconductive integrated receiver is very promising for submm space astronomy where low weight, low power consumption, and limited volume are required. The new versions of the integrated quasioptical submm wave receiver have been designed, fabricated and tested in the frequency range of 450-700 GHz. The integrated receiver chip comprises a planar double dipole antenna, SIS-mixer and on-chip superconductive Flux-Flow Oscillator (FFO) with matching circuits. The receiver noise temperature (DSB) as low as 140 K at 500 GHz has been obtained. A light-weight and low power consuming submm imaging array is under development. Each of 9 pixels of the array is realized by an all-Nb single-chip superconductive receiver, mounted on an elliptical silicon lens with anti-reflection coating. The experimental test results of one pixel receiver are presented. A computer based system is developed to control the operation of the integrated receiver.