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Siberian Journal of Physics

Terahertz and Infrared Receivers Based on Thin-Film Superconducting Nanostructures

Смирнов Константин Владимирович, Yu. B. Vachtomin, A. V. Smirnov, Roman V. Ozhegov, Ivan V. Pentin, Alexander V. Divochiy, Elizaveta V. Slivinskaya, Gregory N Gol'tsman

Published Dec 1, 2010• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This work presents the results of the development and fabrication of sensitive and ultrafast detectors based on thinfilm superconducting nanostructures: hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) and visible and infrared superconducting singephoton detectors (SSPDs). The main operational principles of the superconducting devices are presented as well as the technology of fabrication of the detectors and their main types and parameters. The achieved record parameters of the detectors allow application of the fabricated devices to solution of various research problems in the near, middle and far IR ranges

DOI
10.54362/1818-7919-2010-5-4-63-67

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•Jan 1, 2006•7 citations
This work presents the results of the development and fabrication of sensitive and ultrafast detectors based on thinfilm superconducting nanostructures: hot-electron bolometers (HEBs) and visible and infrared superconducting singephoton detectors (SSPDs). The main operational principles of the superconducting devices are presented as well as the technology of fabrication of the detectors and their main types and parameters. The achieved record parameters of the detectors allow application of the fabricated devices to solution of various research problems in the near, middle and far IR ranges
Superconducting detectors become the most prominent technology for radiation sensors with ultimate performance. Typically, they are nanostructures formed from an ultra-thin superconducting film incorporated into an external antenna for efficient radiation coupling. The operation of so-called hot-electron bolometers and photodetectors (HEBs and HEPs) is based on nonequilibrium heating of the electron subsystem by the absorbed radiation and results in the film resistance and a corresponding, easily measurable voltage response when device is current biased [1-2]. A relatively simple, single-layer manufacturing technology made these devices very popular for needs of radioastronomy and remote sensing.
Superconducting hot-electron bolometers (HEB) represent a promising candidate for heterodyne mixing at frequencies exceeding 1 THz. Nb HEB mixers offer performance competitive with tunnel junctions without the frequency limit imposed by the superconducting energy gap. Although the performance of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// HEB mixers is not projected to be superior to that of Nb devices, which operate at low temperatures, they introduce the possibility of sensitive, low power heterodyne detectors operating at temperatures approaching 90 K for applications requiring portability and closed-cycle refrigeration. We report on the fabrication and characterization, both DC and RF, of high-T/sub c/ mixers based on ultra-thin (/spl les/20 nm) YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// films patterned to micrometer dimensions and incorporated into 2.5 THz planar mixer circuits.
Superconducting hot electron bolometers (HEBs) are widely used as terahertz (THz) heterodyne detectors (mixers) and becoming the most advantageous candidate for low noise receiver at frequencies above 1.2 THz. However, there is still lack of accurate theoretical modeling which explains the complex mechanism of different aspects of superconducting HEBs. These difficulties do not prevent researchers around the world from making experimental progress. In the last few years, superconducting HEBs are also used as THz direct detectors to develop the array for the applications in biology, medicine and security systems. Recently, a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 0.2 pW/√Hz at 2.5 THz is reported for the superconducting HEBs with thermal biasing. Instead of thermal one, microwave (MW) which was first used to stabilize the HEB mixer is also applied to bias the device as a direct detector. Furthermore, THz can be used to bias the HEBs, if THz sources can be provided easy. Although MW biasing can improve sensitivity of the superconducting HEB direct detectors, little work has been done to compare the responsivity and NEP among the THz direct detectors with thermal, THz and MW biasing. To find a best biasing method, we have studied the similarities and differences of the direct detectors based on the superconducting HEBs with three different biasing methods. The fabricated NbN HEB detectors consist of a complementary logarithmic-spiral antenna made of gold and an NbN film (bridge) connecting across the antenna’s inner terminals. We have fabricated the niobium nitride (NbN) superconducting HEB mixers with the system double sideband (DSB) noise temperature better than 8 times of the quantum limit: hf/kB (where h is the Planck constant, kB is the Boltzmann constant and f is the operating frequency) at the frequencies higher than 1 THz. Here, the mixer chips with the system DSB noise temperature of about 400 K and the intermediate frequency (IF) gain bandwidth (GBW) of larger than 5 GHz at 4.2 K and 0.65 THz have been used. As the direct detectors, the current responsivity of 290 A/W and 105 A/W are obtained for MW and THz biasing, which about one order higher than that of thermal biasing. The NEP of 2.7 pW/√Hz is obtained with MW biasing, which can be expected to be improved in the future.
Superconducting Hot Electron Bolometers (HEBs) are good candidates for detecting weak signals in the submillimeter or terahertz range. In this thesis work, a novel fabrication method was developed to make two types of niobium HEBs for different applications. HEBs were designed, fabricated, and then characterized at dc, microwave, and THz frequencies. The first type is a diffusion-cooled HEB, made with a short bridge that determines its cooling time. In this thesis, bridges were typically 400 nm long with bandwidths of about 1 GHz. These diffusion-cooled HEBs were developed as part of a collaboration with the University of Arizona (UA), to develop a proof-of-concept heterodyne array submillimeter camera. Devices were fabricated on thin fused quartz and silica substrates for waveguide coupling in the UA system for the astrophysically interesting 345 and 810 GHz atmospheric windows. The goal of this collaboration is to provide a basis of comparison between Nb diffusion-cooled HEB mixers and superconductorinsulator-superconductor mixers at these frequencies. The second type is a phonon-cooled HEB, made with a ∼3 µm long bridge. Its thermal response is dictated by the electron-phonon relaxation time. These devices were developed in collaboration with Prof. C. Schmuttenmaer’s lab in the Yale Chemistry department, Prof. G. Blake at Caltech,