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IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

An 85–115 GHz SIS Mixer Demonstrating Nearly Constant Dynamic Resistance

Wenlei Shan, Zhenqiang Li, Jiaqiang Zhong, Sheng‐Cai Shi

Published May 27, 2009• 8 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report the design and experiment results of 85-115 GHz SIS mixers that demonstrate nearly constant dynamic resistance and uniform conversion gain. The dynamic resistance close to 50 Omega allows stable bias and direct connection of the SIS mixer and the cryogenic low noise amplifier without an IF isolator. The tuning circuit consists of a single junction tuned by an equivalent shunt inductance and an impedance transformer used for impedance matching. Since the impedance transformer and the shunt inductance have opposite frequency-dependent admittances, we were able to eliminate the frequency-dependent components of the tuning circuit and managed to achieve nearly constant embedding impedance in the frequency range. Measurement results showing dynamic resistances ranging from 30 Omega to 50 Omega and conversion gain changing less than 3 dB reasonably agree with the simulations.

DOI
10.1109/tasc.2009.2017885

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A superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixer is described that has a broadband integrated tuning structure. The mixer is tunable from 85-116 GHz, and a midband has a noise temperature of 6+or-6 K DSB (double-side-band) and unity DSB conversion gain. Referred to the mixer input flange, the receiver noise temperature is 9+or-6 K at midband. The integral tuning structure consists of a short two-wire transmission line stub with a quarter-wave superconducting transmission line as a DC and intermediate frequency (IF) block. Despite the relatively soft I-V curves of the two-junction arrays used in these mixers, low mixer noise temperature and conversion loss were achieved.>

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IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 1997•9 citations
We report the design and experiment results of 85-115 GHz SIS mixers that demonstrate nearly constant dynamic resistance and uniform conversion gain. The dynamic resistance close to 50 Omega allows stable bias and direct connection of the SIS mixer and the cryogenic low noise amplifier without an IF isolator. The tuning circuit consists of a single junction tuned by an equivalent shunt inductance and an impedance transformer used for impedance matching. Since the impedance transformer and the shunt inductance have opposite frequency-dependent admittances, we were able to eliminate the frequency-dependent components of the tuning circuit and managed to achieve nearly constant embedding impedance in the frequency range. Measurement results showing dynamic resistances ranging from 30 Omega to 50 Omega and conversion gain changing less than 3 dB reasonably agree with the simulations.
This paper reports on the performance of a broadband SIS receiver with no mechanical tuning elements was scale modelled and tested. The mixer mount had a broadband waveguide to microstripline transition consisting of a 4-step Chebychev single ridge transformer. The last step of the ridge connected the waveguide to a microstripline circuit. The on-chip circuit consisted of a microstripline, which transmitted the rf and the local oscillator signals to the SIS mixer. Some chips included a thin film strip inductor in parallel with the mixer. Both the SIS element and the inductor had rf grounds provided by 90{degrees} radial stubs. The inductor tuned out the junction capacitance to allow operation over the full frequency band. The SIS element can be a single junction or series array using Nb/AlO{sub x}/Nb trilayer tunnel junctions with areas as small as 0.5 {mu}m{sup 2} and V{sub m}(2mV) = 39 mV. Preliminary results indicated a DSB receiver noise temperature of 65-80 K across the band measured at 4.4 K with an internal cryogenic rf hot/cold source and with T{sub if} = 21 K. With another device, we achieved a mixer noise temperature of 35 K at 100 GHz increasing to 45 K at 79.5 andmore » 110 GHZ. Coupled mixer gain of up to +3 dB and negative dynamic resistance on the first photon step were observed. The lowest noise temperature was obtained for an untuned single junction mixer at 80 GHz; T{sub R} = 41 K and T{sub M} = 20 K were measured.« less
The performance of a broadband SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) receiver with no mechanical tuning elements was modeled and tested. The mixer mount had a broadband-waveguide-to-microstripline transition consisting of a four-step Chebyshev single-ridge transformer. The last step of the ridge connected the waveguide to a microstripline circuit. The on-chip circuit consisted of a microstripline that transmitted the RF and the local oscillator signals to the SIS mixer. Both the SIS element and the inductor had RF grounds provided by 90 degrees radial stubs. The inductor tuned out the junction capacitance to allow operation over the full frequency band. The SIS element can be a single junction or series array using Nb-AlO/sub x/-Nb trilayer tunnel junctions with areas as small as 0.5 mu m/sup 2/ and V/sub m/(2 mV)=39 mV. Preliminary results indicated a DSB receiver noise temperature of 65-80 K across the band measured at 4.4 K with an internal cryogenic RF hot/cold source and with T/sub if/=21 K. With another device, a mixer noise temperature of 35 K at 100 GHz was achieved, increasing to 45 K at 79.5 and 110 GHz. Coupled mixer gain of up to +3 dB and negative dynamic resistance on the first photon step were observed. The lowest noise temperature was obtained for an untuned single-junction mixer at 80 GHz: T/sub R/=41 K and T/sub M/=20 K were measured.
The measured gain and noise of a SIS waveguide mixer at 345 GHz have been compared with theoretical values, calculated from the quantum mixer theory using a three port model. As a mixing element, we use a series array of two Nb-Al2O3-Nb SIS junctions. The area of each junction is 0.8 sq microns and the normal state resistance is 52 omega. The embedding impedance of the mixer has been determined from the pumped DC-IV curves of the junction and is compared to results from scale model measurements (105 x). Good agreement was obtained. The measured mixer gain, however, is a factor of 0.45 plus or minus 0.5 lower than the theoretical predicted gain. The measured mixer noise temperature is a factor of 4-5 higher than the calculated one. These discrepancies are independent on pump power and are valid for a broad range of tuning conditions.
A superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixer is described that has a broadband integrated tuning structure. The mixer is tunable from 85-116 GHz, and a midband has a noise temperature of 6+or-6 K DSB (double-side-band) and unity DSB conversion gain. Referred to the mixer input flange, the receiver noise temperature is 9+or-6 K at midband. The integral tuning structure consists of a short two-wire transmission line stub with a quarter-wave superconducting transmission line as a DC and intermediate frequency (IF) block. Despite the relatively soft I-V curves of the two-junction arrays used in these mixers, low mixer noise temperature and conversion loss were achieved.>
A 600-700GHz SIS mixer with the twin-junction tuning circuit has been designed and fabricated [1] The surface impedance of thin-film superconducting microstrip lines, based on Mattis-Bardeen theory [2], is included in the optimization of RF impedance matching. The receiver noise temperature measured in the frequency range of 630-660GHz is below 200K and the lowest receiver noise temperature of 181K is achieved at 656GHz. The FTS response of the SIS mixer shows a good RF coupling from 600GHz to 700GHz. Both the noise performance and the FTS response can be quantitatively described by numerical results using the quantum theory of mixing. Some detail considerations on the mixer model calculation, such as spreading inductance around the junction tuning structure and mixer's embedding impedance, are discussed. Introduction Nb-based superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers have been used very successfully in sub-mm wavelength detection. Their receiver noise temperature has reached to three times the quantum limit, —3 hfrkB, below the junction's gap frequency. However, at high frequency bands, Nb SIS mixers need to be designed carefully because the photon energy is close to or higher than the gap energy of Nb, A-1.4meV. When the frequency band covers the gap frequency of Nb, —670GHz, the RF loss of Nb superconducting transmission lines increases dramatically and the surface impedance has strong frequency dependence. Usually, the RF properties of a superconducting transmission line can be described by the Mattis-Bardeen theory [2] in good accuracy. From results reported so far [4-9], the best receiver noise temperature is close to 5 hi7kB in the band of 600-700GHz. Despite of the input loss contributed by the experimental setup, some other properties of SIS mixers should be taken into account. In this paper, we characterize the performance of a 600-700GHz mixer by comparing the experimental and simulated results.
We study noise and conversion gain in the SIS mixers with Nb/MgO/NbN junctions at the millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths in order to estimate the possibility to extent the low noise operation towards the theoretical limit of 4/spl Delta//h=2.4 THz. We present as preliminary result the lowest achieved receiver noise with NbN SIS junctions of 65 K with conversion gain of -6 dB at 162 GHz and 230 K receiver noise with conversion gain of -10 dB at 306 GHz. The junction area is 2 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ and Josephson critical current density is 1.4 KA/cm/sup 2/. The optimum R/sub N//spl omega/C of NbN junction for mixers is estimated as 600 GHz/V. In preliminary tests the junctions R/sub N//spl omega/C is 10-20 time superior to the optimum and a significant improvement of NbN SIS mixers may be expected. The noise sources in the NbN SIS junctions are studied and a possible mixer sensitivity improvement is discussed. The thermal properties of the SIS NbN are studied. The frequency limit of the low loss integrated tuning structure in NbN is estimated as at least as 1.5 THz.