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International Kharkiv Symposium on Physics and Engineering of Microwaves, Millimeter and Submillimeter Waves

Superconducting integrated circuits for millimeter and submillimeter wave heterodyne receivers

S. V. Shitov

Published Nov 8, 2004• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

SIS junctions are unique devices combining two fundamental phenomena, the superconducting pair tunneling (Josephson effect) and the quasiparticle tunneling (Giaver effect). These allow for use the same type of SIS junction (e.g. Nb-AlO/sub x/-Nb) either in the quasiparticle mode for the quantum-noise limited detection or in the Josephson mode for generating and converting high frequency signals, for unique magnetic sensors (SQUIDs) and for digital devices. This is why studies in the field of SIS junction integration are of great importance for a variety of lightweight and low power consuming electronic applications. The present paper is a review of the 10-year development of analogue of analogue superconducting integrated circuits with SIS junctions led by IREE RAS team.

DOI
10.1109/msmw.2004.1345911

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SIS junctions are unique devices combining two fundamental phenomena, the superconducting pair tunneling (Josephson effect) and the quasiparticle tunneling (Giaver effect). These allow for use the same type of SIS junction (e.g. Nb-AlO/sub x/-Nb) either in the quasiparticle mode for the quantum-noise limited detection or in the Josephson mode for generating and converting high frequency signals, for unique magnetic sensors (SQUIDs) and for digital devices. This is why studies in the field of SIS junction integration are of great importance for a variety of lightweight and low power consuming electronic applications. The present paper is a review of the 10-year development of analogue of analogue superconducting integrated circuits with SIS junctions led by IREE RAS team.
Superconducting tunnel diodes (SISs) are investigated for both the generation and detection of submillimeter wavelengths. For detection, heterodyne receivers using SISs are investigated. Josephson currents are found to have a large effect on SIS mixers in the submillimeter, even though their effect is less at lower frequencies. At 492 GHz, fixer conversion gain increased by 4 dB when Josephson currents are not suppressed by a magnetic field. A much higher noise is seen in this gain mode, but further investigation of this recently discovered phenomenon is warranted. For submillimeter generation, a two-dimensional array of SISs is investigated. The ac Josephson effect in the SIS is expected to deliver submillimeter power into a free-space radiation mode traveling perpendicular to the array. No experimental devices have been developed yet, but the authors show computer simulations and microwave scale model measurements of array structures.
In this work we report the current status in our development of sensitive heterodyne detectors for efficient down-conversion of submillimeter-wave signals to D-band. These detectors use the strong non-linearity of Nb/Al-AlO/sub x//Nb tunnel junctions and employ preferably quasi-optical techniques to couple local-oscillator and radio-frequency signals to the superconducting junctions via a log-periodic antenna and hyper-hemispherical lens combination. Several devices have been fabricated and tested.
This chapter presents an overview of the Nb-based tunnel junction's technology at Kotelnikov IREE in Moscow. By improving on the fully Nb-based SIR, the chapter develops and studies Nb-AlN-NbN circuits that exhibit an extended operation frequency range. Continuous frequency tuning for the phase-locked superconducting local oscillators (LO) has been experimentally demonstrated in the range of 350-750 GHz. As a result of Nb-AlO x -Nb technology optimization and extensive analysis of the SIS receiver designs, a number of low-noise receivers have been designed and tested. The Josephson flux flow oscillators based on Nb-AlO x -Nb and Nb-AlN-NbN junctions have proven to be the most developed superconducting local oscillator for integration with an SIS mixer in a single-chip submicrometer-wave superconducting integrated receiver. The implementation of an AlN tunnel barrier in combination with a NbN top superconducting electrode is expected to give a significant improvement in SIS THz mixer performance. High-quality Nb-AlN-NbN tunnel junctions were used for development of the superconducting LO and fully integrated superconducting receivers.
Quasiparticle and Josephson tunneling currents in superconducting tunnel junctions provide nonlinear low-noise response up to terahertz frequencies. Many types of direct detector heterodyne mixer and parametric amplifier based on these effects have been explored. Only the SIS quasiparticle mixer has been sufficiently competitive to find significant applications. These mixers can have noise approaching the quantum limit TN = ℏω/k and gain larger than 10 dB. They are used at a number of observatories for molecular line radio astronomy at millimeter wavelengths. Similar applications at submillimeter wavelengths are beginning.
ABSTRACT: Active superconducting circuits based on picoseconds switching, i.e. THz oscillating, Josephson tunnel junctions are expected to find a large domain of applications in spatial sub-millimeter wave and FIR detectors as well as in satellite based wideband signal and data processors. In the first case SIS (superconductor-insulator-superconductor) tunnel junctions are required, while in the second case SNS (superconductor-normal metal-superconductor) self-shunted junctions are preferred. We present the advantages of the nitride junction technology currently developed at CEA-Grenoble, based on high-performance MTS (medium temperature superconductor) NbN films in both SIS and SNS junctions. In the SIS case the device performances rely on a sputter deposited and post-annealed, only 0.5-0.7 nm thick, dielectric MgO barrier. This leads to junctions with a Josephson critical current in the range of 10-25 kA/cm, and a large superconducting energy gap (> 5 meV) associated with a low sub-gap quasi-particle leakage current. These parameters are suitable for low “noise temperature ” heterodyne mixers, local oscillators, and integrated receivers in the 0.8 to 1.4 THz frequency range. In the SNS case, a new