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Technology and design in electronic equipment

Разработка устройств для анализа спектра сигналов СВЧ

Serguey Y. Larkin

Published Oct 30, 2006• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Broadband low-temperature devices for the detection of microwave signals are considered, based both on single Josephson junctions and on Josephson junction arrays. The improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio achieved by replacing single Josephson junctions with arrays of junctions is discussed.

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Broadband detection properties of EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-δ/ array junctions

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We have fabricated EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// Josephson junction arrays of two different sizes to improve detection output and microwave coupling between junctions and an rf source. The arrays contain three weak link grain boundary junctions made on an MgO bicrystal substrate. It is demonstrated that both the junction array configuration and smaller junction size are effective in improving microwave coupling and hence in increasing the responsivity. The best responsivity obtained is 1085 V/W for broadband detection at 11.9 GHz.>

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 1995•2 citations
Performance of various microwave receiving devices, using the Josephson junctions closed with superconducting loops and/or united in arrays, is discussed. These composite nonlinear elements enable us to eliminate problem of their matching with the signal source, to increase the saturation power and to come close to ultimate limits of the device noise performance. For internally-pumped devices, connection of several junctions in a closed-loop (ring) array turns out to be most effective, with coherent junction self-oscillations. For externally-pumped devices, the use of low-inductance (non-hysteretic) SQUIDs is of the greatest interest, enabling one to avoid the difference in junction dynamics due to parameter random spread.
The possibility of the implementation of a single-photon detector in the microwave range has been discussed. It has been shown that, for these purposes, it is possible to use an unshunted Josephson junction, which is switched from the superconducting state into a finite-voltage state at the presence of an external signal. The sensitivity of this detector is determined by the distribution of switchings in the absence of an external signal. It has been demonstrated that there is a Josephson junction with a noise temperature below 60 mK at a nominal external temperature of 10 mK. A specific detector intended for the measurement of external microwave signals has been proposed, designed, and fabricated. The first experimental results have been presented.
In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrated that Josephson threshold detectors (JTDs) could be developed to implement the sensitive detection of broadband microwave photons. Beginning with the numerical simulations of the damped dynamics for the macroscopic phase particle generated by a Josephson junction (JJ), we showed that the time-domain threshold voltage state switched measurements of the JJ driven by a low-frequency triangular wave current, which could be utilized to implement the sensitive microwave photons detection. The detectable signal power can be determined by using the Kumar–Caroll index to quantify the distinguishability between two statistical distributions on the measured threshold switched durations of the JJ with and without the signal input. Experimentally, we fabricated the Al/AlOx/Al JJ and measured its threshold responses, at 50 mK temperature, to the input microwave photons at the frequency of ∼5 GHz. The experimental results indicated that the weak microwave signals, which are phenomenologically threatened by the additional thermal noise that modifies the damped phase dynamics of the JJ, can be detected by the fabricated JTD. The detectable power of the microwave signals demonstrated here was calibrated as about −92 dBm (corresponding to the photons rate of ∼2×108 photons/ms). Based on the numerical simulations for optimizing the relevant performance indicators of the detectors, we further argue that the JTDs could be utilized to achieve the sensitive detection of broadband microwave photons at the single-photon level.
Broadband detection of small electronic signals from cryogenic devices, with the option of simple implementation for multiplexing, is often a highly desired, although nontrivial task. We investigate and demonstrate a small-signal analog-to-frequency conversion system based on relaxation oscillations in a single Josephson junction. Operation and stability conditions are derived, with special emphasis on noise analysis, showing the dominant noise sources to originate from fluctuation processes in the junction. At optimum conditions the circuit is found to deliver excellent noise performance over a broad dynamic range. Our simple models apply within the regime of classical Josephson junction and circuit dynamics, which we confirm by experimental results. A discussion on possible applications includes a measurement of the response to a cryogenic radiation detector.
We have fabricated EuBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// Josephson junction arrays of two different sizes to improve detection output and microwave coupling between junctions and an rf source. The arrays contain three weak link grain boundary junctions made on an MgO bicrystal substrate. It is demonstrated that both the junction array configuration and smaller junction size are effective in improving microwave coupling and hence in increasing the responsivity. The best responsivity obtained is 1085 V/W for broadband detection at 11.9 GHz.>