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IEEE Transactions on Magnetics

Microwave noise parameter measurements of a high temperature superconducting flux flows transistor

Joan M. O'Callaghan, J. Martens, J.H. Thompson, James B. Beyer, J.E. Nordman

Published Mar 1, 1991• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The noise parameters of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) flux flow transistor made of TlBaCaCuO operating at 77 K and 3-5 GHz were experimentally determined. It is assumed that the dominant noise mechanism of the device, which is based on an array of weak links with a magnetic control line, is due to the statistical nature of flux nucleation and motion in the links. The noise parameters dictate the dependence of the noise figure on the source impedance, and are calculated by measuring source impedances. Sensitivity analysis is used to estimate the accuracy of the measurements. The measurements indicate a minimum noise figure of less than 1 dB at 3 GHz.

DOI
10.1109/20.133915

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The noise parameters of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) flux flow transistor made of TlBaCaCuO operating at 77 K and 3-5 GHz were experimentally determined. It is assumed that the dominant noise mechanism of the device, which is based on an array of weak links with a magnetic control line, is due to the statistical nature of flux nucleation and motion in the links. The noise parameters dictate the dependence of the noise figure on the source impedance, and are calculated by measuring source impedances. Sensitivity analysis is used to estimate the accuracy of the measurements. The measurements indicate a minimum noise figure of less than 1 dB at 3 GHz.
Microwave two-port S-parameter measurements and modeling were performed on superconducting flux flow transistors. These transistors, based on the magnetic control of flux flow in an array of high-temperature superconducting weak links, can exhibit significant available power gain at microwave frequencies (over 20 dB at 7-10 GHz in some devices). The input impedance is largely inductive, while the output impedance is resistive and inductive. These devices are potentially useful in numerous applications, including matched amplifiers.>
Microwave two-port S-parameter measurements and modeling of superconducting flux flow transistors are presented. The transistors, based on the magnetic control of flux flow in any array of high temperature superconducting weak links, exhibit significant available power gain at microwave frequencies (over 20 dB at 7-10 GHz in some devices). The input impedance is largely inductive while the output impedance is both resistive and inductive. It is shown that the characteristics of these devices are useful in numerous applications including matched amplifiers, phase shifters and active impedance convertors.>
Noise figure(NF) is an important parameter of the superconducting mixer,which is a key indicator of the mixer's sensitivity depending on the internal noise.Using the efficient and durable small size pulse tube refrigerator for the cold source,we designed the High Temperature Superconducting(HTS) Josephson junction harmonic mixer and noise figure automatic measurement systems which operated at 60 K.YBa2Cu3O7-δ(YBCO)/MgO Josephson junctions was fabricated through argon ion band etching.Using the Y-factor measurement method,we estimated the noise figure of the HTS Josephson junction mixer with conventional hot/cold blackbodies irradiation techniques.The Josephson junction,we had successfully fabricated,had 1mV characteristic voltage,and it had good microwave response and high harmonic numbers at operating frequencies around 650 GHz.At the 30th harmonic of fS=210GHz,the double-crystal Josephson junction biased in the different voltages,IF output signal to noise ratio changed in the range of 30 dB.The noise figure had a minimum 10 dB at a bias voltage of 300 μV and at the irradiation of blackbodies at 77 K and 300 K.
Josephson flux-flow transistors based on 0-32/spl deg/ [001]-tilt YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ bicrystal junctions have been fabricated with Au loops as the control current lines. In order to measure the S-parameters of the transistors, no matching elements are implemented and 50 Omega coplanar lines are used as the input and output ends of the transistors. The rf properties of the transistors have been modeled on an HP microwave CAD design system, with the junction parameters taken from our dc measurements. Simulations indicate that the transistors can have a maximum stable gain of 20 dB at 7 GHz and 6 dB around 35 GHz under matched conditions. An 'on-wafer' transmission-reflection-load (TRL) method is used for calibrating the S-parameters of the transistor. A low temperature microwave probe station has been built: a pair of microwave probes inside a cryostat are moveable in the xyz-directions. Together with a Wiltron 360B vector network analyzer, this setup provides a convenient way for doing on-wafer characterization of the transistors in the frequency range from 40 MHz to 60 GHz, and in the temperature range from 20 to 80 K.>
A theoretical analysis for the noise temperature of hot—electron superconducting mixer has been presented. The contributions of both Johnson noise and electron temperature fluctuations have been evaluated. A set of criteria ensuring low noise performance of the mixer has been stated and a simple analytic expression for the noise temperature of the mixer device has been suggested. It has been shown that an improvement of the mixer sensitivity does not necessarily follow by a decrease of the bandwidth. An SSB noise temperature limit due to the intrinsic noise mechanisms has been estimated to be as low as 40-90 K for a mixer device made from Nb or NbN thin film. Furthermore, the conversion gain bandwidth can be as wide as is allowed by the intrinsic electron temperature relaxation time if an appropriate choice of the mixer resistance has been made. The intrinsic mixer noise bandwidth is of 3 GHz for Nb device and of 5 GHz for NbN device. An additional improvement of the theory has been made when a distinction between the impedance measured at high intermediate frequency (larger than the mixer bandwidth) and the mixer ohmic resistance has been taken into account. Recently obtained experimental data on Nb and NbN bolometer mixer devices are viewed in connection with the theoretical predictions. The noise temperature limit has also been specified for the mixer device where an outdiffusion cooling mechanism rather than the electron—phonon energy relaxation determines the mixer bandwidth. A consideration of the noise performance of a bolometer mixer made from YBaCuO film utilizing a hot—electron effect has been done.