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IEEE International Superconductive Electronics Conference (ISEC)

Wideband microwave low noise amplifiers based on biSQUID SQIFs

G.V. Prokopenko, Oleg A. Mukhanov

Published Jul 1, 2013• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We designed, fabricated, and measured broadband low-noise amplifiers based on Superconducting Quantum Interference Filters (SQIFs) for variety of applications ranging from superconducting quantum bits readout to satellite communication receivers. Our microwave amplifiers (Microwave SQAs) are based on 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-cell serial biSQUID SQIF arrays. The RF input is applied via a 50 Ohm coplanar waveguide connected to a superconducting line coupled to each biSQUID cell and integrated with input/output planar capacitors to define and tune up signal frequency bandwidth. The RF output comes out from the central common line via a balanced output circuit matching to a 50 Ohm output coplanar waveguide. The same circuit is used for symmetrical dc biasing of an array. Microwave SQA samples were fabricated on 5 mm × 5 mm chips using standard HYPRES niobium 4.5 kA/cm2fabrication process. The results of experimental evaluation of our Microwave SQAs based on SQIF serial arrays with different number of biSQUID cells are compared. We have demonstrated a power gain up to 20 dB from 8 to 11 GHz.

DOI
10.1109/isec.2013.6604298

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We designed, fabricated, and measured broadband low-noise amplifiers based on Superconducting Quantum Interference Filters (SQIFs) for variety of applications ranging from superconducting quantum bits readout to satellite communication receivers. Our microwave amplifiers (Microwave SQAs) are based on 1-, 5-, 10-, 20-cell serial biSQUID SQIF arrays. The RF input is applied via a 50 Ohm coplanar waveguide connected to a superconducting line coupled to each biSQUID cell and integrated with input/output planar capacitors to define and tune up signal frequency bandwidth. The RF output comes out from the central common line via a balanced output circuit matching to a 50 Ohm output coplanar waveguide. The same circuit is used for symmetrical dc biasing of an array. Microwave SQA samples were fabricated on 5 mm × 5 mm chips using standard HYPRES niobium 4.5 kA/cm2fabrication process. The results of experimental evaluation of our Microwave SQAs based on SQIF serial arrays with different number of biSQUID cells are compared. We have demonstrated a power gain up to 20 dB from 8 to 11 GHz.
SQUID arrays are promising candidates for low-profile antennas and low-noise amplifier applications. We present the integrated circuit designs and results of dc and radio frequency measurements of wideband serial arrays based on the integration of linear bi-SQUID cells forming a superconducting quantum interference filter (bi-SQUID SQIF). Various configurations of serial array designs are described. The measured linearity, power gain, and noise temperature are analyzed and compared. The experimental results are matched to results of mathematical modeling. A serial bi-SQUID SQIF arrays are integrated into a coplanar waveguide, and symmetrically grounded to corresponding sides of the coplanar waveguide. The radio frequency output comes out from the central common line, which is also used for dc biasing, and forms a symmetrical balanced output. The signal and dc flux biasing line is designed as coplanar lines passed in parallel over each bi-SQUID cell in a bidirectional fashion concentrating magnetic flux inside of each cell. Serial bi-SQUID SQIF arrays are fabricated on 5 mm$\times5mmchipsusingastandardHYPRESniobium4.55 mm chips using a standard HYPRES niobium 4.55mmchipsusingastandardHYPRESniobium4.5 \hbox{kA/cm}^{2}$fabrication process.
We have been developing superconducting microwave (8-15 GHz bandwidth) magnetic field receiving antennas based on a two-dimensional (2D) Superconducting Quantum Interference Filter (SQIF) composed of bi-SQUID arrays. The 2D arrays are designed and fabricated using standard HYPRES niobium 4.5 kA/cm2process. The designed non-uniformity in inductances of bi-SQUID cells produces a pronounced zero-field antipeak in the flux-voltage response curve. We select the active antenna operation point by applying an appropriate dc flux bias current to set it in the middle of the antipeak linear slope. We measured comparative responses of the antenna with the SQIF dc bias at ON and OFF states when irradiated by a microwave signal from four different conventional planar ring and patch antennas placed in the near field.
We have studied superconducting quantum interference filters (SQIFs) based on bicrystal neodymium gallate substrates, which can be used in the microwave frequency range. The characteristics of a serial SQIF have been compared for the first time with those of a single superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and a chain of serially connected SQUIDs with equal areas of superconducting loops. The regime of SQIF operation with a voltage-flux ( V -Φ) characteristic determined by the magnetic-field dependence of the critical current in the Josephson junction has been analyzed. It is shown that the output noise of a SQIF measured with a cooled amplifier in the 1–2 GHz range is determined by the slope of the V -Φ characteristic. The influence of a spread in the parameters of Josephson junctions in the SQIF on the integral V -Φ characteristic of the whole structure is considered.
We develop a two-dimensional (2-D) superconducting quantum interference filter (SQIF) array based on the recently introduced high-linearity tri-junction bi-SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference device). Our bi-SQUID SQIF array design is based on a tight integration of individual bi-SQUID cells sharing inductances with adjacent cells. We provide extensive computer simulations, analysis, and experimental measurements, in which we explore the phase dynamics and linearity of the array voltage response. The nonuniformity in inductances of the bi-SQUIDs produces a pronounced zero-field single antipeak in the voltage response. The antipeak linearity and size can be optimized by varying the critical current of the additional junction of each bi-SQUID. The layout implementation of the tight 2-D array integration leads to a distinct geometrical diamond shape formed by the merged dual bi-SQUID cells. Different-sized 2-D arrays are fabricated using the standard HYPRES niobium 4.5 kA/cm2fabrication process. The measured linearity, power gain, and noise properties will be analyzed for different array sizes and the results will be compared with circuit simulations. We will discuss a design approach for the electrically small magnetic field antenna and low-noise amplifiers with high bandwidth based on these 2-D bi-SQUID SQIF arrays. The results from this work will be used to design chips densely and completely covered in bi-SQUIDs that have optimized parameters such as linearity and power gain.
The superconducting quantum interference filter (SQIF) is a new type of superconducting device which has been recently proposed for highly sensitive magnetometers for absolute magnetic field measurements. It benefits of very high voltage-to-field response, which is, in contrast conventional dc SQUIDs, not periodical. The SQIF can also be used as a radiofrequency amplifier in a similar way as the dc SQUID that can operate in a gigahertz frequency range. We designed a series type of SQIF amplifier that is compatible to conventional YBa2Cu3O7(YBCO) technology on bicrystal substrates. We present analytical, numerical and scale modeling as well as first electrical measurements results at frequencies up to 10 GHz. The SQIF array consists of 50 loops with randomly distributed areas from 0.5 to 1.5 times of . We also compared it to the regular array of conventional SQUIDs with the same loop areas. We have additional dc contacts to each 5-th SQUIDs and the SQIFs for control and comparison. Devices are fabricated using Josephson junctions with 3 mum width formed in YBCO over 24/24 and 12/12 degrees grain boundaries in yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) bicrystal substrates.
Superconducting Quantum Arrays (SQAs), homogenous arrays of Superconducting Quantum Cells, are developed for implementation of broadband radio frequency (RF) systems capable of providing highly linear magnetic signal to voltage transfer with high dynamic range, including active electrically small antennas (ESAs). Among the proposed quantum cells which are bi-SQUID and Differential Quantum Cell (DQC), the latter delivered better performance for SQAs. A prototype of the transformer-less active ESA based on a 2D SQA with nonsuperconducting electric connection of the DQCs was fabricated using HYPRES niobium process with critical current density 4.5 kA/cm 2 . The measured voltage response is characterized by a peak-to-peak swing of ~100 mV and steepness of ~6500 μV/μT.