Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves

A Low Noise NbTiN-Based 850 GHz SIS Receiver for the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory

J. Kooi, Jonathan H. Kawamura, J. Chen, Goutam Chattopadhyay, J. R. Pardo, Jonas Stasys Zmuidzinas, Tom G. Phillips, B. Bumble, J. A. Stern, Henry George LeDuc

Published Sep 1, 2000• 17 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1023/a:1026444721454

Related papers

Low noise submillimeter SIS receiver with niobium nitride quasiparticle tunnel junctions

Alexandre Karpov, B. Plathner, J. Blondel +4 more

International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves•Jul 1, 1996•2 citations

NbTiN-Based THz SIS Mixers for the Herschel Space Observatory

Brian Douglas Jackson

•Jun 8, 2005•6 citations

Low Noise 1 THz SIS Mixer for Stratospheric Observatory: Design and Characterization

Alexandre Karpov, D A Miller, J. A. Stern +5 more

We report the development of a low noise SIS mixer aimed for 1 THz channel of the Caltech Airborne Submillimeter Interstellar Medium Investigations Receiver (CASIMIR), designed for the Stratospheric Observatory for Far Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The mixer uses Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN SIS junctions with critical current density of about 45 kA/cm2. The junctions are shaped in order to optimize the suppression of the Josephson DC currents. We used a double slot planar antenna to couple the mixer chip with the telescope beam. The RF matching microcircuit is made using Nb and gold films. The mixer IF circuit is designed to cover 4-8 GHz band. The test receiver with the new mixer has the low noise operation in a 0.9-1.05 THz band. The minimum DSB receiver noise measured at 1 THz is 260 K (Y=1.64) , apparently the lowest reported up to date.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Mar 22, 2011•6 citations

A low-noise 492 GHz SIS waveguide receiver

C. K. Walker, J. Kooi, M. Chant +4 more

International Journal of Infrared and Millimeter Waves•Jun 1, 1992•61 citations

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

Alexandre Karpov, D. Miller, Jeff A. Stern +3 more

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 mum2Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN SIS junctions with the critical current density of 30-50 kA/cm2. 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.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 2009•6 citations

Development of 1THz SIS mixer for SOFIA

Alexandre Karpov, David A. B. Miller, Jeff A. Stern +3 more

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 Far Infrared Astronomy, (SOFIA). In the SIS mixer are used the Nb/AlN/NbTiN junctions with the Josephson critical current density of about 40 KA/cm . The mixer is built using a double-slot quasi-optical design and covers a 250 GHz band centered at 1 THz. The minimum measured receiver noise is about 353 K (Y=1.50). The receiver noise may be reduced using a higher level of LO power. The developed mixer will allow building a receiver with the noise temperature approaching 250 K in 1 THz band and having a broader operation band compared to the previously reported.

•Jan 1, 2007•3 citations
We report the development of a low noise SIS mixer aimed for 1 THz channel of the Caltech Airborne Submillimeter Interstellar Medium Investigations Receiver (CASIMIR), designed for the Stratospheric Observatory for Far Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The mixer uses Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN SIS junctions with critical current density of about 45 kA/cm2. The junctions are shaped in order to optimize the suppression of the Josephson DC currents. We used a double slot planar antenna to couple the mixer chip with the telescope beam. The RF matching microcircuit is made using Nb and gold films. The mixer IF circuit is designed to cover 4-8 GHz band. The test receiver with the new mixer has the low noise operation in a 0.9-1.05 THz band. The minimum DSB receiver noise measured at 1 THz is 260 K (Y=1.64) , apparently the lowest reported up to date.
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 mum2Nb/Al-AlN/NbTiN SIS junctions with the critical current density of 30-50 kA/cm2. 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.
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 Far Infrared Astronomy, (SOFIA). In the SIS mixer are used the Nb/AlN/NbTiN junctions with the Josephson critical current density of about 40 KA/cm . The mixer is built using a double-slot quasi-optical design and covers a 250 GHz band centered at 1 THz. The minimum measured receiver noise is about 353 K (Y=1.50). The receiver noise may be reduced using a higher level of LO power. The developed mixer will allow building a receiver with the noise temperature approaching 250 K in 1 THz band and having a broader operation band compared to the previously reported.