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Applied Sciences

THz Range Low-Noise SIS Receivers for Space and Ground-Based Radio Astronomy

Kirill I. Rudakov, Andrey V. Khudchenko, Lyudmila V. Filippenko, М. Е. Парамонов, Ronald Hesper, Daniele Aragão Ronsó da Costa Lima, Andrey M. Baryshev, V. P. Koshelets

Published Oct 28, 2021• 36 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report on research in the field of low-noise receiving systems in the sub-terahertz (THz) range, carried out in recent years, aimed at developing receivers with quantum sensitivity for implementation in space and ground-based radio telescopes. Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS) mixers based on high-quality tunnel junctions are the key elements of the most sensitive sub-THz heterodyne receivers. Motivations and physical background for technology improvement and optimization, as well as fabrication details, are described. This article presents the results of the SIS receiver developments for the 211–275 GHz and 790–950 GHz frequency ranges with a noise temperature in the double sideband (DSB) mode of approximTELY 20 K and 200 K, respectively. These designs and achievements are implemented in the development of the receiving systems for the Russian Space Agency mission “Millimetron”, and for the ground-based APEX (Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment) telescope.

DOI
10.3390/app112110087

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Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences Physics•Apr 1, 2016•1 citation
We report on research in the field of low-noise receiving systems in the sub-terahertz (THz) range, carried out in recent years, aimed at developing receivers with quantum sensitivity for implementation in space and ground-based radio telescopes. Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS) mixers based on high-quality tunnel junctions are the key elements of the most sensitive sub-THz heterodyne receivers. Motivations and physical background for technology improvement and optimization, as well as fabrication details, are described. This article presents the results of the SIS receiver developments for the 211–275 GHz and 790–950 GHz frequency ranges with a noise temperature in the double sideband (DSB) mode of approximTELY 20 K and 200 K, respectively. These designs and achievements are implemented in the development of the receiving systems for the Russian Space Agency mission “Millimetron”, and for the ground-based APEX (Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment) telescope.
Abstract The developments in the field of low-noise receiving systems in the sub-THz range, performed at the Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering of the Russian Academy of Sciences in recent years and aimed at the creation of receivers with quantum sensitivity for space and ground-based radio telescopes are presented. Superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) mixers based on high-quality tunnel junctions are key elements of the most sensitive sub-THz heterodyne receivers. The article presents the results of the development of SIS receivers in the 211–275 GHz and 800–950 GHz ranges with a noise temperature in the double-sideband (DSB) mode of about 20 K and 220 K, respectively. These achievements will be used to develop receiving systems for APEX and LLMA ground-based telescopes, as well as for the Millimetron space mission.
This repost describes our results on development of low-noise heterodyne THz receivers for ground based and space radio astronomy. Superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers that employ high quality Nb-based tunnel junctions are the key element of the most sensitive heterodyne THz receivers. In particular we present here the SIS receivers for frequency range 211-275 GHz and 800-950 GHz with double sideband (DSB) noise temperature of about 25 K and 220 K, respectively. The latest results on development, fabrication techniques and experimental study of the SIS receivers will be discussed.
A total of 73 dual polarization superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receivers for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have been successfully produced to observe astronomical signals in the 787-950 GHz frequency band. The receivers use two double sideband (DSB) waveguide mixers with Nb/AlOx/Nb tunnel junctions and NbTiN/SiO2/Al microstrip tuning circuits on quartz substrate. The best achieved DSB receiver noise temperature is 125 K, corresponding to about 3 hf/kBfor 4 K operation.
The development of ultra-low-noise receivers at frequencies of >200 GHz is primarily driven by astronomical applications. The most sensitive millimeter-wave receivers that have presently been constructed make use of the strong mixing afforded by superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions. In a collaborative project between UKC and RAL, a 230 GHz laboratory receiver has been built using a lead alloy SIS junction as the mixing element, mounted in 4:1 reduced-height waveguide, terminated at one end with a circular cross-section, adjustable backshort. Best results indicate a double-sideband receiver noise temperature of T/sub R/(DSB) approximately=120 K, which represents state-of-the-art performance at this frequency. Initial difficulties in achieving good mixing performance prompted an investigation into the importance of the 'quality' of mixer block backshort tuning elements. An analysis of the mixer equivalent circuit is presented which allows for loss in a non-ideal mixer block, and 3-port mixer model calculations are discussed which incorporate this analysis into the Tucker quantum theory of mixing.
This thesis describes the development of low-noise heterodyne receivers at THz frequencies for submillimeter astronomy using Nb-based superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) tunneling junctions. The mixers utilize a quasi-optical configuration which consists of a planar twin-slot antenna and antisymmetrically-fed two-junctions on an antireflection-coated silicon hyperhemispherical lens. On-chip integrated tuning circuits, in the form of microstrip lines, are used to obtain maximum coupling efficiency in the designed frequency band. To reduce the rf losses in the integrated tuning circuits above the superconducting Nb gap frequency (~ 700 GHz), normal-metal Al is used to replace Nb as the tuning circuits. To account the rf losses in the micros trip lines, we calculated the surface impedance of the AI films using the nonlocal anomalous skin effect for finite thickness films. Nb films were calculated using the Mattis-Bardeen theory in the extreme anomalous limit. Our calculations show that the losses of the Al and Nb microstrip lines are about equal at 830 GHz. For Al-wiring and Nb-wiring mixers both optimized at 1050 GHz, the RF coupling efficiency of Al-wiring mixer is higher than that of Nb-wiring one by almost 50%. We have designed both Nb-wiring and Al-wiring mixers below and above the gap frequency. A Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) has been constructed especially for the study of the frequency response of SIS receivers. This FTS features large aperture size (10 inch) and high frequency resolution (114 MHz). The FTS spectra, obtained using the SIS receivers as direct detectors on the FTS, agree quite well with our theoretical simulations. We have also, for the first time, measured the FTS heterodyne response of an SIS mixer at sufficiently high resolution to resolve the LO and the sidebands. Heterodyne measurements of our SIS receivers with Nb-wiring or Al-wiring have yielded results which arc among the best reported to date for broadband heterodyne receivers. The Nb-wiring mixers, covering 400 - 850 GHz band with four separate fixed-tuned mixers, have uncorrected DSB receiver noise temperature around 5hv/kb to 700 GHz, and better than 540 K at 808 GHz. An Al-wiring mixer designed for 1050 GHz band has an uncorrected DSB receiver noise temperature 840 K at 1042 GHz and 2.5 K bath temperature. Mixer performance analysis shows that Nb junctions can work well up to twice the gap frequency and the major cause of loss above the gap frequency is the rf losses in the microstrip tuning structures. Further advances in THz SIS mixers may be possible using circuits fabricated with higher-gap superconductors such as NbN. However, this will require high-quality films with low RF surface resistance at THz frequencies.
A superconducting heterodyne receiver based on superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) junctions and a bolometric receiver based on superconductor–insulator–normal metal (SIN) tunnel junctions developed at the Kotelnikov Institute is described. The noise temperature and noise equivalent power of such a receiver fit the requirements for the TELIS, BOOMERANG, OLIMPO, and LSPE aerostatborne radio telescopes, and the space-based SPICA and MILLIMETRON projects, among others. Applications of such receivers for medical diagnostics and remote control are described.