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IEEE Transactions on Magnetics

Microwave receivers using SQUIDs and Josephson junction arrays

L. S. Kuzmin, K. K. Likharev, V. V. Migulin

Published Jan 1, 1981• 21 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Performance of various microwave receiving devices, using the Josephson junctions closed with superconducting loops and/or united in arrays, is discussed. These composite nonlinear elements enable us to eliminate problem of their matching with the signal source, to increase the saturation power and to come close to ultimate limits of the device noise performance. For internally-pumped devices, connection of several junctions in a closed-loop (ring) array turns out to be most effective, with coherent junction self-oscillations. For externally-pumped devices, the use of low-inductance (non-hysteretic) SQUIDs is of the greatest interest, enabling one to avoid the difference in junction dynamics due to parameter random spread.

DOI
10.1109/tmag.1981.1061113

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Performance of various microwave receiving devices, using the Josephson junctions closed with superconducting loops and/or united in arrays, is discussed. These composite nonlinear elements enable us to eliminate problem of their matching with the signal source, to increase the saturation power and to come close to ultimate limits of the device noise performance. For internally-pumped devices, connection of several junctions in a closed-loop (ring) array turns out to be most effective, with coherent junction self-oscillations. For externally-pumped devices, the use of low-inductance (non-hysteretic) SQUIDs is of the greatest interest, enabling one to avoid the difference in junction dynamics due to parameter random spread.
The performance limits are found for the Josephson junction microwave receivers: self- and externally-pumped mixers, as well as self-selecting and wideband quadratic detectors. The effect of the signal source impedance upon the Josephson junction properties is considered in two extreme approximations for the junc-, tion matching with the source, the approximations yielding close results. It has become possible to find the device characteristics for the arbitrary values of ratios RE/RNand F/Fc, where REis the reduced source resistance, RNis the junction normal resistance, F is the signal frequency and FCis the junction characteristic frequency. The performance factors obtained are optimized and their ultimate limits are found. The relatively poorly-developed devices without external pumping (self-pumped mixer and self-selecting detector) occur to have the best performance limits. Achievement of these limits is possible, however, only if the recently proposed specially-designed multi-junction arrays are used.
We have studied via computer simulations the dynamical properties of a circuit consisting of two arrays of Josephson junctions closed into a superconducting loop. Due to an internal circuit resonance the phase locking of Josephson junctions is enhanced, which makes possible the application of such a circuit as a source of coherent microwave radiation. The optimal circuit parameters and the influence of thermal noise are discussed. It is shown that the critical spread in junction parameters is about twice that of linear Josephson junction arrays. The possibility of tuning such a device is demonstrated.
A high temperature superconducting YBa2Cu3Oy array of five Josephson junctions designed with additional coupling lines has been developed to demonstrate the effects of frequency locking and impedance matching for applications such as oscillators, mixers, and detectors. The Josephson self-radiation power was directly detected by a superheterodyne receiver, and Shapiro steps were also measured. The Josephson self-radiation properties reveal good quality of phase locking and microwave coupling with external circuits. The maximum self-radiation power of our array is about 50 pW which is several ten times higher than that of a single Josephson junction, and its peak point exactly satisfies the Josephson current-voltage relation. The Shapiro-step measurements show that the behavior of current-voltage curve depends on the effective inductance of coupling lines which affects the total impedance of Josephson junction array and microwave coupling. The Josephson oscillation frequency was obtained up to about 880 GHz which is 73% of the maximum available frequency calculated from the characteristic voltage of the Josephson junctions. Experimental results show that this type of Josephson junction array can improve the Josephson self-radiation power and increase the maximum detectable frequency.
This is the first Annual Report of an effort to demonstrate a low noise superconducting microwave amplifier. The amplifier is a nearly degenerate, single idler parametric amplifier which uses the nonlinear inductance of a single junction SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device). The design frequency is 9 GHz, 10 dB gain, and 16% bandwidth. In order to maximize the saturation power, the device impedance was chosen near 1ohm and a matching network was designed to transform to 50ohm. In later designs, a coherent array of SQUIDs is expected to increase the power and impedance. This report includes the design and test of the 50ohm to 1ohm broadband transformer, design and fabrication of the SQUID amplifier, and both saturation and noise analyses of the single SQUID and SQUID array. The analytical results, reported to the 1982 Applied Superconductivity Conference are: the noise temperature of the single SQUID parametric amplifier is equal to the amplifier termination temperature T(o), the response is linear to several percent of the flux quantum energy in the SQUID: the amplifier will be saturated by broad band noise if the noise source temperature is much greater than 10 To; and the array parametric amplifier has the same noise temperature as the single device indicating an N-fold increase in dynamic range. (Author)
Josephson parametric amplifiers (JPAs) are key devices in superconducting quantum circuits, as they ultimately dictate quantum efficiency and speed of measurement, but they still suffer from low saturation power. This work shows that a JPA's saturation power can be increased by using a Josephson-junction array, rather than a single-junction amplifier. Modeling such an array as a nonlinear $L\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}C$ resonator reproduces the observed amplification and saturation effects very well. This use of arrays to fight low power saturation is easy to implement, and can be directly combined with impedance-engineered environments to enhance dynamic range even more.