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IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

85--115-GHz Receivers for Radio Astronomy

D. P. Woody, Ronald Earle Miller, Michael J. Wengler

Published Feb 1, 1985• 109 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Low-noise receivers for radio astronomy have been built using Pb alloy superconducting tunnel junction mixers operating at 4.5 K. They have been used for 85-115-GHz astronomy with double-sideband receiver noise temperature between 70 and 200 K. Junction fabrication and receiver construction, operation, and performance are described herein.

DOI
10.1109/tmtt.1985.1132955

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Low-noise receivers for radio astronomy have been built using Pb alloy superconducting tunnel junction mixers operating at 4.5 K. They have been used for 85-115-GHz astronomy with double-sideband receiver noise temperature between 70 and 200 K. Junction fabrication and receiver construction, operation, and performance are described herein.
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An ultra low noise SIS receiver has been prepared for radio astronomy. The minimum double sideband receiver noise temperature is about 30 K which corresponds to 2 /spl planck//spl omega//k or an equivalent number of 4 photons of noise. The minimum measured double sideband mixer noise temperature is about 10 K which corresponds to 0.6 /spl planck//spl omega//k or approximately to 1 photon of noise. The fixed tuned SIS mixer operates in the 290-370 GHz frequency range. The submicron niobium junctions mere fabricated using photoresist lines for junction definition. The receiver has been used at the 30 m IRAM radio telescope in Spain in winter 1994. Telescope system noise temperature of 500 K single sideband has been achieved when the sky opacity was about 0.17.>
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Abstract The developments in the field of low-noise receiving systems in the sub-THz range, performed at the Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences in recent years and aimed at the creation of receivers with quantum sensitivity for space and ground-based radio telescopes are presented. Superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) mixers based on high-quality tunnel junctions are key elements of the most sensitive sub-THz heterodyne receivers. The article presents the results of the development of SIS receivers in the 211–275 GHz and 800–950 GHz ranges with a noise temperature in the double-sideband (DSB) mode of about 20 K and 220 K, respectively. These achievements will be used to develop receiving systems for APEX and LLMA ground-based telescopes, as well as for the Millimetron space mission.