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Journal of Applied Physics

Microwave detection using granular Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films

Bradley G. Boone, Raymond M. Sova, K. Moorjani, W. J. Green, Barry E. Grabow

Published Feb 15, 1991• 15 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report here results of our investigations of the nonbolometric mode of detection in granular Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films. We find that both bolometric and nonbolometric modes appear in the same sample under mutually exclusive conditions: bolometric with light (633 nm) and nonbolometric with microwaves (9 GHz). Our measurements indicate that the nonbolometric mode of detection is more sensitive than the bolometric mode in our samples, a result which offers promise for application to microwave power measurement. Possible mechanisms for the nonbolometric mode are reviewed, and the concept of using a broadband spiral antenna directly coupled to the superconducting detector for microwave power sensing is briefly described.

DOI
10.1063/1.348662

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We report here results of our investigations of the nonbolometric mode of detection in granular Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O thin films. We find that both bolometric and nonbolometric modes appear in the same sample under mutually exclusive conditions: bolometric with light (633 nm) and nonbolometric with microwaves (9 GHz). Our measurements indicate that the nonbolometric mode of detection is more sensitive than the bolometric mode in our samples, a result which offers promise for application to microwave power measurement. Possible mechanisms for the nonbolometric mode are reviewed, and the concept of using a broadband spiral antenna directly coupled to the superconducting detector for microwave power sensing is briefly described.
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Microwave properties of an Y-Ba-Cu-O microstrip detector have been studied at 24 GHz frequency band at the liquid-nitrogen temperature. The amplitude of the video detection signal was found to be proportional to the incident microwave power. Direct mixing action was also demonstrated, setting the upper limit for the film response time as short as 40 ps. Occurrence of microwave mixing in the absence of dc current bias was observed, suggesting the presence of the inverse Josephson effect. Physical properties of the detector response were very similar to the enhanced mode of detection, characteristic for granular superconducting films.
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The results of pioneering experiments on using a new method of microwave recording the bolometric response from a metal film near its superconducting transition edge are analyzed. Experiments are carried out at 4.5 K using a thin-film niobium absorber with a critical temperature of 6.7 K. The validity of the adopted electrodynamic model is confirmed. The chip contains a miniature antenna tuned to approximately 600 GHz and integrated into a planar resonator with a frequency of 6 GHz, which is weakly coupled with a pump line. Based on the experimental and model data, the presence of electrothermal feedback is shown, stability criteria are found, and I–V characteristics at microwaves are obtained. Bulk experimental samples with an absorber measuring 5 μm × 2.5 μm × 15 nm are fabricated with optical photolithography. At an amplifier channel noise of 3 K, the optical sensitivity of a prototype receiver can be expected at a level of 10 −15 W/Hz 1/2 .
There have been several recent reports of apparently nonbolometric optical responses in superconducting thin films. The photoresponse of 10 nm thin superconducting NbN meander lines on Si is measured at 670 nm using a diode laser modulated to more than 100 kHz. Several types of photoresponse are identified, some apparently due to the Si substrate. A fast photoresponse due to the NbN film with a responsivity of up to 125 V/W of absorbed power was observed. Results are analyzed in the context of a bolometric model, and the magnitude of the photoresponse is found to be too large for a purely bolometric response. Possible nonbolometric alternatives are discussed.>