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A Superconducting Spectrometer with Phase-Locked Josephson Oscillator

S. V. Shitov, V. P. Koshelets, Pavel N. Dmitriev, Lyudmila V. Filippenko, An. B. Ermakov, Victor V. Khodos, В. Л. Вакс

Published Mar 1, 2002• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

A sensitive heterodyne spectrometer employing a superconducting local oscillator is demonstrated experimentally for the first time at 327 GHz. The research is continuation of the study on the concept of a superconducting integrated receiver (SIR). The sensor of the phase-locked receiver comprises a quasioptical double-dipole antenna SIS mixer (T:z 250 K, DSB), a Josephson-type flux-flow oscillator (FF0) and a twin-SIS harmonic mixer, all integrated on the same silicon chip of size 4 mm by 4 mm. An elliptical silicon lens is the only optical element focusing the beam. Room temperature PLL electronics is used along with a synthesized reference source at about 10 GHz. The effective bandwidth of the PLL circuit of about ± 10 MHz and the hold range of ± 2.5 GHz are estimated experimentally while locking at 32-th harmonic of the reference source. It was found that the optimum pump current of the SIS mixer can be adjusted within the range of 14...42 pA simply via change of the bias current of the FFO while it stays locked. The signal from a room temperature semiconductor harmonic multiplier driven by a second synthesizer is used to test the spectrometer; the spectral resolution as low as 10 kHz is estimated. The effect of broadening of a spectral line of SO2 gas at 326867 MHz is measured for a laboratory gas cell at 300 K within the pressure range of 0.03-0.3 mbar demonstrating feasibility of the PLL SIR.

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The concept of a fully superconducting integrated receiver is developed and experimentally tested. This single-chip sub-mm wave receiver includes a planar antenna integrated with a SIS mixer and an internal superconducting Josephson-type local oscillator (flux-flow oscillator, FFO). The receiver is tested with a DSB noise temperature below 100 K around 500 GHz being pumped by its internal local oscillator (LO). The instantaneous bandwidth of 15-20% is estimated via FTS and heterodyne measurements that meet the requirements of most practical applications. The far field antenna beam is measured as ≈ f /10 with sidelobes below -16 dB that is suitable for coupling to a real telescope antenna. A nine-pixel imaging array receiver with each pixel containing an internally pumped receiver chip is developed and tested. A linewidth of the phase locked FFO as low as 1 Hz is measured relative to a reference oscillator in the frequency range 270-440 GHz. An rf amplifier on the base of a dc SQUID is developed and tested showing a noise figure below 10 K at 4 GHz and a bandwidth of about 300 MHz. This amplifier can be included as a part of an integrated receiver that is valuable for array applications.

Superconductor Science and Technology•May 1, 2000•238 citations
A sensitive heterodyne spectrometer employing a superconducting local oscillator is demonstrated experimentally for the first time at 327 GHz. The research is continuation of the study on the concept of a superconducting integrated receiver (SIR). The sensor of the phase-locked receiver comprises a quasioptical double-dipole antenna SIS mixer (T:z 250 K, DSB), a Josephson-type flux-flow oscillator (FF0) and a twin-SIS harmonic mixer, all integrated on the same silicon chip of size 4 mm by 4 mm. An elliptical silicon lens is the only optical element focusing the beam. Room temperature PLL electronics is used along with a synthesized reference source at about 10 GHz. The effective bandwidth of the PLL circuit of about ± 10 MHz and the hold range of ± 2.5 GHz are estimated experimentally while locking at 32-th harmonic of the reference source. It was found that the optimum pump current of the SIS mixer can be adjusted within the range of 14...42 pA simply via change of the bias current of the FFO while it stays locked. The signal from a room temperature semiconductor harmonic multiplier driven by a second synthesizer is used to test the spectrometer; the spectral resolution as low as 10 kHz is estimated. The effect of broadening of a spectral line of SO2 gas at 326867 MHz is measured for a laboratory gas cell at 300 K within the pressure range of 0.03-0.3 mbar demonstrating feasibility of the PLL SIR.
A submillimeter heterodyne spectrometer employing a superconducting local oscillator is demonstrated for the first time. The sensor chip comprises a quasioptical double-dipole lens-antenna SIS mixer (T/sub RX/=250 K at 380 GHz), a Josephson flux-flow oscillator and a SIS harmonic mixer. Room temperature PLL electronics is used with a reference source at 10 GHz. The PLL bandwidth of 10 MHz and the hold range of 3 GHz are estimated for locking at 32-th harmonic of the reference source. The spectral resolution better than 1 MHz and broadening effect of a spectral line of SO/sub 2/ gas at 326867 MHz are measured with a laboratory gas cell at 300 K at pressure 0.03 - 0.3 mbar using acousto-optical spectrometer.
The concept of the fully Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) has been developed and experimentally demonstrated. The single-chip submm wave receiver includes a planar antenna integrated with a SIS mixer, which is pumped by an internal superconducting Flux Flow Oscillator (FFO) as local oscillator (LO). A DSB noise temperature below 100 K has been demonstrated around 500 GHz. Heterodyne measurements have shown that the instantaneous bandwidth of the receiver is 15 – 20 % which meets the requirements of practical applications. The double-dipole lens-antenna SIS mixer has an antenna beam ≈ f/9 with sidelobes below- 16 dB. This enables an efficient coupling of the SIR to the telescope antenna. With the FFO phase locked in the frequency range 270- 440 GHz a linewidth as low as 1 Hz has been measured relative to a reference oscillator. A compact array of 9 SIRs has been developed and tested. Each pixel contains an internally pumped receiver chip, which is mounted on the back of an elliptical silicon lens. A noise temperature of about 150 K has been measured at 500 GHz using the internal FFO for the imaging array of Integrated Receivers.
We report on the results of developing a single-chip superconducting integrated receiver which is the key element of the 500 -650 GHz spectrometer for the Terahertz Limb Sounder (TELIS) balloon project. TELIS is a collaborative European project to develop a three-channel heterodyne balloon-based spectrometer for measuring a variety of atmospheric constituents of the stratosphere. The Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) comprises in one chip a planar antenna integrated with an SIS mixer, a superconducting Flux Flow Oscillator (FFO) acting as Local Oscillator (LO) and a second SIS harmonic mixer (HM) for the FFO phase locking. As a result of the FFO design optimization a free-running linewidth between 9 and 1.5 MHz has been measured in the frequency range 500 – 710 GHz resulting in phase-locking of 35 to 95 % of the FFO power correspondingly. A new generation of the SIR devices with improved FFO performance and optimized interface between FFO and SIS/HM has been developed and comprehensively tested; all required TELIS parameters were demonstrated. Phase–locked FFO operation over entire SIR channel frequency range has been realized, spectral resolution below 1 MHz has been confirmed by gas cell and CW signal measurements. An uncorrected double side band (DSB) noise temperature about 200 K has been measured with the phase-locked FFO. The intermediate frequency bandwidth 4-8 GHz has been realized. To ensure remote operation of the phase-locked SIR several procedures for its automatic computer control have been developed and tested. To overcome temperature constraints and extend operation frequency of the all-Nb SIR we have developed and studied Nb-AlN-NbN-Nb circuits with a gap voltage Vg up to 3.7 mV and extremely low leakage currents (Rj/Rn > 30). Based on these junctions integrated microcircuits comprising FFO and harmonic mixer have been designed, fabricated and tested; the radiation from such circuits has been measured at frequencies up to 700 GHz. Employment of NbN electrode does not result in the appearance of additional noise. For example, FFO linewidth as low as 1 MHz was measured at 600 GHz, that allows us to phase lock up to 92 % of the emitted by FFO power and realize very low phase noise about –90 dBc. Preliminary results demonstrated uncorrected DSB noise temperature of the Nb-AlN-NbN SIR below 250 K at frequencies of primary TELIS interest around 500 and 600 GHz. We expect that Nb-AlN-NbN-Nb device will be used for the first qualification TELIS flight that is scheduled on April 2007.
In this paper we present design and first experimental results of the 550 650 GHz channel for the Terahertz Limb Sounder (TELIS), a three-channel balloon-borne heterodyne spectrometer for atmospheric research. This frequency channel is based on a phase-locked Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR). SIR is an on-chip combination of a low-noise SIS mixer with quasioptical antenna, a superconducting Flux Flow Oscillator (FFO) acting as Local Oscillator (LO) and SIS harmonic mixer (HM) for FFO phase locking. The microcircuit is designed as a quasioptical mixer. Amplification of the mixer IF signal and first stage PLL circuitry is done by InP based low noise HEMT amplifiers. Optical design analysis and first experimental results, which include FTS and noise temperature measurements, are reported. Index Terms — Josephson mixers, integrated receiver, superconducting devices
A Superconducting Integrated Receiver (SIR) comprises on one chip all elements needed for heterodyne detection: a low-noise SIS mixer with quasioptical antenna, a Flux-Flow Oscillator (FFO) acting as a Local Oscillator (LO) and a second SIS harmonic mixer (HM) for the FFO phase locking. Light weight and low power consumption combined with nearly quantum limited sensitivity and a wide tuning range of the FFO make SIR a perfect candidate for many practical applications. In particular, the SIR developed for novel balloon borne instrument TELIS (TErahertz and submillimeter LImb Sounder) covers frequency range 480 - 650 GHz. As a result of recent receiver's optimization the DSB noise temperature was measured as low as 120 K for the SIR with intermediate frequency (IF) band 4 - 8 GHz. The capability of the SIR for high resolution atmospheric spectroscopy has been successfully proven with scientific balloon flights from Kiruna, North Sweden. Diurnal cycles of ClO and BrO has been observed with BrO line level of only about 0.5 K. Possibility to use the SIRs for analysis of the breathed out air at medical survey has been demonstrated.
The concept of a fully superconducting integrated receiver is developed and experimentally tested. This single-chip sub-mm wave receiver includes a planar antenna integrated with a SIS mixer and an internal superconducting Josephson-type local oscillator (flux-flow oscillator, FFO). The receiver is tested with a DSB noise temperature below 100 K around 500 GHz being pumped by its internal local oscillator (LO). The instantaneous bandwidth of 15-20% is estimated via FTS and heterodyne measurements that meet the requirements of most practical applications. The far field antenna beam is measured as ≈ f /10 with sidelobes below -16 dB that is suitable for coupling to a real telescope antenna. A nine-pixel imaging array receiver with each pixel containing an internally pumped receiver chip is developed and tested. A linewidth of the phase locked FFO as low as 1 Hz is measured relative to a reference oscillator in the frequency range 270-440 GHz. An rf amplifier on the base of a dc SQUID is developed and tested showing a noise figure below 10 K at 4 GHz and a bandwidth of about 300 MHz. This amplifier can be included as a part of an integrated receiver that is valuable for array applications.