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Journal of Bioresource Management

Linear and nonlinear characteristics of niobium nitride hot-electron bolometer devices

Yan Zhuang

Published Jan 1, 2002• 0 citations

Abstract

The superconducting HEB device is so far the most promising low noise mixer in the THz frequency range. It out-performs other existing receiver systems because it has low noise temperature and sufficient bandwidth for applications in the FIR range such as astronomy, remote sensing and plasma diagnostics. This work investigates the linear and nonlinear characteristics of NbN Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) devices. First of all, a thorough expression of the Johnson noise and the thermal fluctuation noise has been re-derived. Our circuit model is more preferable for the HEB devices than the traditional one being used for the semiconductor bolometer. Secondly, the equivalent noise temperature of our receiver system has been significantly improved: the noise temperature went from the original 5800K to a record of 500K for silicon substrate devices. We are also getting improved noise performance for the new MgO substrate devices. The simulation results agree with the measured data very well around the optimum operating point. Finally, the device in the unstable region can be stabilized by connecting a series resistor with higher resistance than the negative resistance of the device. Two frequencies are related to the oscillation waveforms of the voltage and the current of the device. The first one is the repetition frequency that is actually related to the external circuit. The second one is the relaxation frequency that is related to the intrinsic phenomena of the device itself. The domain wall velocity and the relaxation oscillation frequency have been calculated both theoretically and experimentally. The calculated results are within a satisfactory range compared with the measured data. Also, a thorough explanation of the device oscillation process has been presented.

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The superconducting HEB device is so far the most promising low noise mixer in the THz frequency range. It out-performs other existing receiver systems because it has low noise temperature and sufficient bandwidth for applications in the FIR range such as astronomy, remote sensing and plasma diagnostics. This work investigates the linear and nonlinear characteristics of NbN Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) devices. First of all, a thorough expression of the Johnson noise and the thermal fluctuation noise has been re-derived. Our circuit model is more preferable for the HEB devices than the traditional one being used for the semiconductor bolometer. Secondly, the equivalent noise temperature of our receiver system has been significantly improved: the noise temperature went from the original 5800K to a record of 500K for silicon substrate devices. We are also getting improved noise performance for the new MgO substrate devices. The simulation results agree with the measured data very well around the optimum operating point. Finally, the device in the unstable region can be stabilized by connecting a series resistor with higher resistance than the negative resistance of the device. Two frequencies are related to the oscillation waveforms of the voltage and the current of the device. The first one is the repetition frequency that is actually related to the external circuit. The second one is the relaxation frequency that is related to the intrinsic phenomena of the device itself. The domain wall velocity and the relaxation oscillation frequency have been calculated both theoretically and experimentally. The calculated results are within a satisfactory range compared with the measured data. Also, a thorough explanation of the device oscillation process has been presented.

Phonon cooled hot electron bolometers (HEB) show smaller noise temperatures in mixer applications above 1THz compared to Schottky diodes or SIS devices. To determine the optimal bias point for maximum IF bandwidth and lowest noise of a FEB detailed understandin g of the current-voltage characteristic is indispensable. A complete nonlinear model for a hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixer is derived. The dynamic resistance of a superconducting film is calculated under stron g demagnetization conditions. The resistance is modeled due to vortex flow and phase slip lines. Self heating gives rise to normal domains in the film. In addition the resistance due to thermally activated flux creep and thermal fluctuations is taken into account. All these relations form a large si gnal model for the iv-characteristics and the bias points of the device. A small signal linearization yields then conversion gain and noise temperatures. Furthermore a quality measure for HEB devices is set up by deriving the thermal coupling of the film to the substrate and the achieved critical current density from measured current-voltage characteristics.

Low noise terahertz (THz) receivers based on superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers have been designed, fabricated and measured for applications in astronomy and cosmology. The NbN HEB mixer consists of a planar antenna and an NbN bridge connecting across the antenna's inner terminals on a high-resistivity Si substrate. To eliminate the influence of direct detection and instability of the local oscillation (LO) power, a wire grid has been used to change the input LO power for compensating the shift of bias current during Y-factor measurement. The double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperatures at 4.2K without corrections have been measured from 0.65 to 3.1THz. The excess quantum noise factor β of about 4 has been obtained, which agrees well with the calculated value. Allan variance of the HEB has been characterized, and Allan time TA longer than 0.4s is obtained. We also estimated the temperature resolution of the HEB from the Allan variance and obtained the minimum temperature resolution of 1.1K using a Gunn oscillator with its multipliers at 0.65THz as an LO source.

Low noise receivers using quasi-optical superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers have been designed, fabricated and measured in the terahertz (THz) frequency range for THz applications in astronomy and cosmology. The NbN HEB mixers consist of a planar complementary antenna and several nanometer (nm) thick NbN bridge connecting across the antenna's inner terminals on high-resistivity Si substrates. A double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperature of 664 K at 0.76 THz, 920 K at 1.6 THz, 1630 K at 2.5 THz and 1710 K at 3.1 THz has been obtained without corrections and no anti-reflection (AR) coating on the surface of the lens.

Superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers at terahertz (THz) have been designed, fabricated and measured for applications in astronomy and cosmology. The NbN HEB mixer consists of a planar antenna and an NbN bridge connecting across the antenna's inner terminals on high-resistivity Si substrates. Double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperatures of 698 K at 0.65 THz, 904 K at 1.6 THz, 1026 K at 2.5 THz and 1386 K at 3.1 THz have been obtained at 4.2 K without corrections and using changeable input local oscillation (LO) power to eliminate the affects of direct detection and instability of the LO power. The excess quantum noise factor beta of about 4 has been estimated using a quantum noise model.

Low noise receivers based on superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) hot electron bolometer (HEB) mixers have been designed, fabricated and measured in the terahertz (THz) frequency range for applications in astronomy and cosmology. The NbN HEB mixer consists of a planar antenna and an NbN bridge connecting across the antenna's inner terminals on high-resistivity Si substrates. Double sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperatures of 920 K at 1.6 THz and 1630 K at 2.5 THz have been obtained at 4.2 K without corrections. Effects of Parylene C AR coating on the lens have been studied; with such a coating a lowest DSB receiver noise temperature of 1135 K at 2.5 THz has been obtained at 4.2 K.

To put space-based and airborne heterodyne instruments into operation at frequencies above 1 THz the superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer (HEB) will be incorporated into heterodyne receiver as a mixer. At frequencies above 1.3 THz the sensitivity of the NbN HEB mixers outperform the one of the Schottky diodes and SIS-mixers, and the receiver noise temperature of the NbN HEB mixers increase with frequency. In this paper we present the results of the noise temperature measurements within one batch of NbN HEB mixers based on 3.5 mn thick superconducting NbN film grown on Si substrate with MgO buffer layer at the LO frequencies 2.5 THz and 3.8 THz.