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International Conference on Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves (IRMMW-THz)

HTS Josephson Junctions for THz Applications

Jian Chen, Peiheng Wu, Lin Kang, Weiwei Xu, Kensuke Nakajima, Tsutomu Yamashita

Published Sep 1, 2006• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Using high temperature superconducting (HTS) Josephson junctions (such as bicrystal Josephson junctions) with a compact dewar, video detections of high frequency signals up to THz range have been demonstrated. Here, the performance as well as the applications in THz wave band for antenna-coupled HTS Josephson junctions are discussed.
DOI
10.1109/icimw.2006.368419

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Josephson junctions made from high temperature superconductors (HTS) are active high frequency devices which can be used as oscillators or frequency mixers in the submillimeter-wave region. The frequencies of these electromagnetic waves range from 300 GHz up to 3 THz. Up to now, this wave band is a relatively unexploited region of the electromagnetic spectrum because it is very difficult to produce and detect submillimeter-waves. However, submillimeter-wave technologies are becoming important in many practical scientific applications such as radio astronomy, atmospheric research, plasma diagnostics and THz-imaging, recently. In this work, the behaviour HTS Josephson junctions have been investigated experimentally and theoretically with the aim to THz-applications. In the first part the behaviour of intrinsic Josephson junction stacks are measured, and the possibility of phase locking is discussed by the theoretical analysis of two different shunt technologies depending on the parameter spread of the junction and the shunt parameters. It could be shown that stacks made from sputtered BSCCO layers does not act as intrinsic Josephson junction arrays because of their many micro shorts resulting from the layer growth. However, the stacks made from sputtered TBCCO show clear intrinsic Josephson junction behaviour. But their quasiparticle branches in the current-voltage characteristic deviate from the behaviour predicted by the common used RCSJ model. These branches can be discussed within a tunneling model using d-wave superconductor density of states. A temperature dependent current distribution and a zero bias anomaly was found. Furthermore, the coherent behaviour is studied for intrinsic arrays with additional side-wall shunts. The existence of thresholds of phase locking at especial junction and shunt parameters are demonstrated and discussed in regard to THz-oscillator applications. It was found that the Josephson junctions in a stack can be phase locked even if they have a parameter spread in the critical current up to 15% using a resonant shunt. In the second part of this work the mixing properties of HTS bicrystal Josephson junctions as wave guide mixers for 115 and 345 GHz have been investigated. (orig.)
We report a novel terahertz (THz) detector with a high- T c superconducting (HTS) Josephson junction. This detector was fabricated using a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ grain boundary junction. Clear THz signals induced by THz-pulse radiation from an ultrafast photoconductive antenna excited by femtosecond optical pulses were observed. We investigated the characteristics of the detector by changing the parameters of THz radiation such as pump laser power for the THz emitter and THz polarization. The results indicate that the detector mainly detects the THz electric fields. This is the first demonstration of a detection of pulsed THz electric fields using an HTS Josephson junction.
Abstract Terahertz (THz) technology is a rapidly developing field that explores the use of electromagnetic waves in the THz frequency range. The unique properties of THz waves have great application prospects in electromagnetic sensing, security inspection, non-destructive testing, medical diagnostics, biology, high-speed wireless communication, space science and so on. At present, the application of THz technology is still under continuous research and development, and its broad scientific prospects are recognized worldwide. THz frequency falls into the gap on the electromagnetic spectrum of electronics and optics, thus both classic microwave and optical technologies cannot be directly applied to the THz systems. New components, circuits and application systems are being developed for THz technology. Superconductivity is a quantum mechanical phenomenon and offers unique advantages for applications in high-frequency electromagnetic domains. Novel superconducting quantum devices are being exploited for THz wave radiation and detection, and many THz application systems. The high-T c superconducting (HTS) electronic devices have great potential in emerging THz technologies due to its very high-energy bandgap (well into THz regions) and much relaxed cooling requirement, and they offer strong prospect for the development of practical and portable THz systems. This paper provides an overview of the state-of-art development of HTS THz quantum devices and their application for THz sensing, imaging and communication. The review will start with a brief introduction about cutting-edge THz technology, the fundamental of superconductivity, Josephson effects and the HTS Josephson junctions. Then, the research progress and the latest achievement of HTS Josephson THz emitters, detectors and mixers will be reviewed, followed by their application examples in some THz systems. Finally, the conclusion, challenges and outlooks of the HTS technologies in THz applications are discussed.
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