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Electronics Letters

Low-noise SIS heterodyne receiver at 230 GHz

Steven R. Davies, Leslie T. Little, C. T. Cunningham

Published Aug 27, 1987• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A 230 GHz laboratory receiver has been built using a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junction as the mixing element. The junction is mounted in 4:1 reduced-height waveguide, terminated at one end with a circular adjustable backshort. Recent results indicate a receiver noise temperature of TR ≃ 120 K (DSB).
DOI
10.1049/el:19870666

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The development of ultra-low-noise receivers at frequencies of >200 GHz is primarily driven by astronomical applications. The most sensitive millimeter-wave receivers that have presently been constructed make use of the strong mixing afforded by superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions. In a collaborative project between UKC and RAL, a 230 GHz laboratory receiver has been built using a lead alloy SIS junction as the mixing element, mounted in 4:1 reduced-height waveguide, terminated at one end with a circular cross-section, adjustable backshort. Best results indicate a double-sideband receiver noise temperature of T/sub R/(DSB) approximately=120 K, which represents state-of-the-art performance at this frequency. Initial difficulties in achieving good mixing performance prompted an investigation into the importance of the 'quality' of mixer block backshort tuning elements. An analysis of the mixer equivalent circuit is presented which allows for loss in a non-ideal mixer block, and 3-port mixer model calculations are discussed which incorporate this analysis into the Tucker quantum theory of mixing.
A receiver noise temperature of 61 K (DSB) has been measured for a superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) heterodyne receiver operating at 232 GHz, the lowest value reported to date for such a receiver employing a lead alloy junction. Analysis of the losses of the receiver components yields mixer noise temperature and conversion loss, Tm = 24 K and Lm = 2.1 dB (DSB). These are compared with predictions based on 3-port quantum mixer theory, made using the measured characteristics of the junction and an equivalent circuit for the waveguide mixer mount deduced from scaled modelling experiments.
The authors have made a detailed study of the gain and noise of a SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) heterodyne receiver at 345 GHz. An array of two Nb-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/-Nb SIS junctions in series are used as the mixing element. The array is operated in a waveguide mount with a backshort and an E-plane tuner. The best receiver noise temperature achieved is 140 K DSB (double sideband). The embedding impedances were determined by fitting theory to the measured pumped curves. High-quality fits were obtained, providing the first detailed test of the Tucker-theory at frequencies above 300 GHz. The impedances found by this method are in very good agreement with impedances measured in a scale model at 3.3 GHz. From these embedding impedances, the gain and noise of the mixer were calculated over a full bias range using the Tucker theory in the three-port low-IF approximation. The measured dependence of mixer gain and noise on bias voltage, pump power and embedding impedance is in good agreement with theory. However the absolute values show discrepancies that appear to be independent of the bias parameters of the mixer.>
This repost describes our results on development of low-noise heterodyne THz receivers for ground based and space radio astronomy. Superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers that employ high quality Nb-based tunnel junctions are the key element of the most sensitive heterodyne THz receivers. In particular we present here the SIS receivers for frequency range 211-275 GHz and 800-950 GHz with double sideband (DSB) noise temperature of about 25 K and 220 K, respectively. The latest results on development, fabrication techniques and experimental study of the SIS receivers will be discussed.
A heterodyne receiver using an SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) waveguide mixer with two mechanical tuners has been built and characterized over the frequency range of 460 GHz to 630 GHz. This receiver is designed for radioastronomy applications. The mixer uses high-current-density, 0.25- mu m/sup 2/, Nb/AlO/sub x//Nb SIS tunnel junctions with integrated superconductive RF circuits to tune the junction capacitance. A DSB (double sideband) receiver noise temperature as low as 200+or-17 K has been obtained at 540 GHz. In addition, negative differential resistance has been observed in the DC I-V (current-voltage) curve at 487-491 GHz.>