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URSI General Assembly and Scientific Symposium

Characterization of terahertz detectors based on niobium nitride superconducting tunnel junctions

Zheng Wang, Shao-Liang Li, Dong Liu, Jie Hu, Jing Li, Sheng‐Cai Shi

Published Aug 1, 2014• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Terahertz direct detectors based on superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) have the merits of short response time, large dynamic range and relatively high operating temperature, providing a good choice for terahertz detection. Compared with commonly used niobium STJs, niobium nitride (NbN) ones have a high transition temperature close to 16K. Hence they might be useful for terahertz detection operating at temperatures well above the LHe temperature of 4.2K. In this paper, we investigate the properties of NbN STJ detectors at different bath temperatures. Detailed experiment results are given.

DOI
10.1109/ursigass.2014.6930012

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Terahertz direct detectors based on superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) have the merits of short response time, large dynamic range and relatively high operating temperature, providing a good choice for terahertz detection. Compared with commonly used niobium STJs, niobium nitride (NbN) ones have a high transition temperature close to 16K. Hence they might be useful for terahertz detection operating at temperatures well above the LHe temperature of 4.2K. In this paper, we investigate the properties of NbN STJ detectors at different bath temperatures. Detailed experiment results are given.
Niobium nitride (NbN) superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) have an energy gap nearly double that of niobium STJs, making them potential sensitive detectors that operate at higher frequencies and temperatures. In this paper, we investigate the direct-detection behavior (i.e. the spectral response, current responsivity, noise characteristics, and noise equivalent power (NEP)) of a 500 GHz NbN STJ detector at temperatures from approximately 5 to 9 K. The detector shows an uncorrected NEP of 3.8 x 10(-13) W/root Hz around 5 K and 1.5 x 10(-12) W/root Hz at 9 K. Its performance can be further improved by adopting a cryogenically cooled readout circuit and fabricating the device with a wiring layer of higher critical-transition temperatures.
Terahertz (THz) direct detectors based on superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometers (HEBs) with microwave (MW) biasing are studied. The MW is used to bias the HEB to the optimum point and to readout the impedance changes caused by the incident THz signals. Compared with the thermal biasing method, this method would be more promising in large scale array with simple readout. The used NbN HEB has an excellent performance as heterodyne detector with the double sideband noise temperature (TN) of 403 K working at 4.2 K and 0.65 THz. As a result, the noise equivalent power of 1.5 pW/Hz1/2 and the response time of 64 ps are obtained for the direct detectors based on the NbN HEBs and working at 4.2 K and 0.65 THz.
Terahertz (THz) direct detectors based on superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometers (HEBs) with microwave (MW) injection have been studied. Compared to the thermal biasing method, the injected MW is used here to bias the HEB to the optimum point. MW can be expected to be used as the easy read out for the detecting array. The used NbN HEB has an excellent performance as heterodyne detector with the noise temperature of 403 K working at 4.2 K and 0.65 THz. As the result, the noise equivalent power (NEP) of 1.4 pW/Hz1/2and the response time of 64 ps have been obtained for the direct detectors with MW injection.
We are developing a broadband THz detectors using Nb-based superconducting tunnel junctions. We found two components in a current signal for 1-2 THz pulse input. From the comparison of results obtained for the signals, the frequency response for the different size of STJs and the STJs fabricated on different substrate materials, we demonstrate that they correspond to photons absorbed with the superconductor electrode (referred as 'direct' component) and phonons generated by photons absorbed with the substrate (refered as 'phonon-mediated' component).
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