Interaction of gravitational waves with a superconducting cylindrical antenna

In this paper we investigate the effects of gravitational waves (GW) on a superconducting cylindrical antenna (S-antenna). We suggest that the electric fields induced by GW of dimensionless amplitudeh - 10^–24 in the interior of existing cylindrical antenna might be detectable.     

1-THz low-noise SIS mixer with a double-dipole antenna

A quasi-optical mixer containing two Nb/Al/AlO_x/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions integrated into a NbTiN/SiO₂/Al microstrip line is studied experimentally in the 800–1000 GHz frequency range. The mixer is developed as an optional front end of the heterodyne receiver operating in frequency band 3 or 4 and incorporated into the HIFI module of the Herschel space-borne telescope. The double-dipole antenna of the mixer is made of NbTiN and Al films; the quarter-wavelength reflector, of a Nb film. The mixer is optimized for the IF band of 4–8 GHz. The double-sideband noise temperature T _RX measured at 935 GHz is 250 K at a mixer temperature of 2 K and an IF of 1.5 GHz. Within 850–1000 GHz, T _RX remains below 350 K. The antenna pattern is symmetrical with a sidelobe level below −16 dB.     

Millimeter microwave study of the superconducting properties of the Cu-C system

A study has been made of a cylindrical Cu-C powder sample operated as a microwave antenna at 35 GHz in the 80–300-K temperature interval. The efficiency of such an antenna is shown to increase nearly twofold from room temperature to liquid nitrogen temperature, which is apparently associated with a superconducting transition close to 80 K. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 816–817 (May 1997)     

Evaluation of nano-slot antenna for mid-infrared detectors

To improve the response performance of superconducting infrared detectors, we propose using a photonic antenna with a micro-detector in conjunction with a nano-structure. In this paper, we report evaluation results that show the basic characteristics of a photonic antenna in the mid-infrared region. The antenna consists of a nano-slot antenna and a thin-film load resistance placed in the center of the antenna. The antennas were designed for operation at approximately several tens of THz by using an electromagnetic simulator. Through measurements of the spectral reflectance characteristics, clear absorptions caused by the antenna properties were observed at approximately 50 THz, and high polarization dependencies were also observed. The results of the simulation qualitatively agreed with the results of the experiment. The effective area of the antenna was also evaluated and was found to be approximately 3.5 μm² at 54 THz.     

圆极化高温超导微带天线阵

一个用于直接广播卫星(DBS)系统的圆极化和单一馈电网络的四单元高温超导微带天线阵,被设计和制造在一个0.5毫米厚的氧化镁衬底上,中心频率是12.2GHz。为了比较,一个天线是采用金膜制造的,另一个是采用超导薄膜钇钡铜氧(YBCO)制造的。为了提高圆极化阵的轴比特性,运用连续旋转的技术。效率、方向性、回波损耗和带宽分别在室温和液氮温度下被测试。采用超导薄膜钇钡铜氧(YBCO)制造的阵表现很好的圆极化特性,并且在温度为77K下时的增益比室温时的金膜天线阵大1.64dB。在谐振频率12.24GHz时回馈损耗为-30.6dB并且总的有效带宽大约为3.52%。这个结果显示当高温超导体用于微带天线阵时,能提高天线阵的效率。     

A 350GHz Radial-Probe SIS Mixer for Astronomical Imaging Arrays

We have developed a 330-370GHz SIS mixer for small-format, heterodyne, astronomical imaging arrays. Fixed-tuned broadband operation is achieved by means of a superconducting radial waveguide probe. A horn-reflector antenna provides high-efficiency optical coupling. Using a variable-temperature cryogenic noise source, we measured a DSB system noise temperature of 32±1K. The mixer contributes 3±3K, supporting the theoretically-predicted result that the noise temperature of a DSB mixer can be less than h/2 (8.6K)     

HWR010超导腔提取耦合器的优化设计

我国自主研发的超导加速器CAFe是ADS加速器的前端示范装置,其对加速器的运行稳定性有非常高的要求。在CAFe的运行中存在场致发射效应干扰超导腔提取信号的问题,是造成超导腔运行故障最频繁的问题之一,这严重降低了加速器的稳定性。这一问题是由于超导腔内的场致发射电子在相关微波传输器件上引起了放电现象,干扰了信号的传输并造成低电平控制系统对超导腔的错误控制,最终导致超导腔失谐和加速器停机故障。本文通过优化提取天线的结构,避免场致发射电子进入提取耦合器,从而解决传输信号异常的问题。优化后的天线在线运行效果良好,解决了超导腔这种提取信号异常的问题,提高了加速器运行的稳定性。     

A new model analysis of the third harmonic voltage in inductive measurement for critical current density of superconducting films

The critical current density J c is one of the most important parameters of high temperature superconducting films in superconducting applications,such as superconducting filter and superconducting Josephson devices.This paper presents a new model to describe inhomogeneous current distribution throughout the thickness of superconducting films applying magnetic field by solving the differential equation derived from Maxwell equation and the second London equation.Using this model,it accurately calculates the inductive third-harmonic voltage when the film applying magnetic field with the inductive measurement for J c.The theoretic curve is consistent with the experimental results about measuring superconducting film,especially when the third-harmonic voltage just exceeds zero.The J c value of superconducting films determined by the inductive method is also compared with results measured by four-probe transport method.The agreements between inductive method and transport method are very good.     

Performance of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector with the fan coupling antenna array

The performance of superconducting nanowire single-photon detector （SNSPD） involving niobium nitride with the fan coupling antenna array is analyzed. The SNSPD has a high detection efficiency and counting rate. Hydrogen silsesquioxane and niobium nitride are filled in the gold grating deposited on the substrate in which the fan coupling antenna arrays are embedded. By changing the position of the fan coupling antenna array, the maximum area of optical intensity is obtained and the photon collection efficiency is increased by 26.5 times. The detection efficiency of SNSPD is improved without changing the detection speed. These parameters are important for designing a practical single-photon detector,     

Integrated Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Receivers

We overview recent achievements in the field of cryogenic submillimeter-wave receivers based on superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) tunnel junctions. The main attention is paid to the novel superconducting integrated receivers (SIRs) with an on-chip superconducting local oscillator. The single-chip microcircuit of the receiver, which integrates a quantum mixer based on the nonlinearity of a quasi-particle current in the SIS junction, a planar superconducting receiving antenna, and a cryogenic local oscillator, is described. Being dc-powered only by batteries, such a microcircuit operates as a submillimeter-wave superheterodyne receiver without any additional microwave equipment. Such receivers are very attractive for radioastronomical research, space communication systems, and monitoring of the environment from satellites, balloons, and special aircraft. A breadboard of a superconducting spectrometer with a phase-locked flux-flow oscillator (FFO) has been developed and tested. A frequency resolution better than 10 kHz was reached at a frequency of 365 GHz. We describe a balloon-borne 500-650 GHz integrated spectrometer for oblique atmospheric sounding, developed for the international Terahertz Limb Sounder (TELIS) project. The first flight is scheduled for 2005.     

Noise Behaviour of a THz Superconducting Hot-Electron Bolometer Mixer

A quasi-optical superconducting NbN hot-electron bolometer （HEB） mixer is measured in the frequency range of 0.5-2.5 THz for understanding of the frequency dependence of noise temperature of THz coherent detectors. It has been found that noise temperature increasing with frequency is mainly due to the coupling loss between the quasioptical planar antenna and the superconducting HEB bridge when taking account of non-uniform distribution of high-frequency current. With the coupling loss corrected, the superconducting HEB mixer demonstrates a noise temperature nearly independent of frequency.     

Possible Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov inhomogeneous superconducting state in CeCoIn5

We present specific heat and thermal conductivity of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn5 in the vicinity of the superconducting critical fieldH _c2, measured with magnetic field in the plane of this quasi-2D compound and at temperatures down to 50 mK. The superconducting phase diagram and the first order nature of the superconducting phase transition at high fields close to a critical fieldH _c2 indicate the importance of the Pauli limiting effect in CeCoIn₅. In the same range of magnetic field we observe a second specific heat anomaly within the superconducting state, and interpret it as a signature of a Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) inhomogeneous superconducting state. In addition, the thermal conductivity data as a function of field display a kink at a fieldH _k below the superconducting critical field, which closely coincides with the low temperature anomaly in specific heat tentatively identified with the appearance of the FFLO superconducting state. The enhancement of thermal conductivity within the FFLO state calls for further theoretical investigations of the real space structure of the order parameter (and in particular, the structure of vortices) and of the thermal transport within the inhomogeneous FFLO state.     

高Tc超导薄膜红外探测器领结型天线

为了提高超导薄膜红外探测器的工作带宽、响应速度和灵敏度,并便于进行集成平面工艺,我们设计了微桥型红外敏感元及与其耦合的领结型平面天线(bow-tie antenna),其检测波长范围可从中红外到毫米波段,理论估算其NEP(噪音等效功率)值可达1.2×10^-12WHz^1/2,响应时间τ<10^-6s.     

Investigation of Decoherence of Superconducting Charge Qubit Entangled with the Environment

In the Born-Markov approximation, a method that calculates the energy relaxation time T ₁ and the decoherence time T ₂ of superconducting qubits is given by solving the set of Bloch-Redfield equations and considering the results of decoherence of a superconducting charge qubit. Compared to the spin-boson model, it not only contains the decoherence being caused by the dissipative environment, but also includes the decoherence being generated by the dissipative elements in a superconducting electronic circuit. Hence, it is good for studying the decoherence of superconducting qubits comprehensively.     

Antiferromagnetism and superconductivity in a model with extended pairing interactions

The competition between antiferromagnetism and the d + id superconducting state is studied in a model with near and next near neighbour interactions in the absence of any on-site repulsion. A mean field study shows that it is possible to have simultaneous occurrence of an antiferromagnetic and a singlet d + id superconducting state in this model. In addition, such a coexistence generates a triplet d + id superconducting order parameter with centre of mass momentum Q = (π,π) dynamically having the same orbital symmetry as the singlet superconductor. Inclusion of next nearest neighbour hopping in the band stabilises the d_xy superconducting state away from half filling, the topology of the phase diagram, though, remains similar to the near neighbour model. In view of the very recent observation of a broad region of coexistence of antiferromagnetic and unconventional superconducting states in organic superconductors, the possibility of observation of the triplet state has been outlined. Received 30 November 2000 and Received in final form 27 March 2001     

Theoretical analysis of coherent electron transport in structures containing multiband superconductors with different types of superconducting pairing

Coherent electron transport in structures with multiband superconductors described by models of intraorbital (the s _± model) and interorbital superconducting pairing has been theoretically considered. Conductivities of junctions of a single-band normal metal with superconducting pnictides for these pairing models have been calculated. Temperature and phase dependences of the Josephson current through junctions containing a conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer superconductor and a superconducting pnictide have been calculated within the considered pairing models taking into account temperature dependences of superconducting order parameters.     

Beam focusing in a linear ion accelerator consisting of a periodic sequence of independently phased superconducting cavities

Focusing of a low-energy beam of heavy ions in a linear accelerator based on a periodic sequence of independently phased superconducting cavities is considered. The possibility of heavy ion beam focusing by a system of superconducting solenoids is analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of this focusing technique are considered. It is shown that solenoids with a magnetic field exceeding B = 15 T are required for focusing ion beams with a small charge-to-mass ratio Z/A ≈ 1/66 in a superconducting accelerator.     

Influence of triplet states on the spectrum of collective spin-polaron excitations in a 2D kondo lattice

The normal and superconducting phases of the ensemble of spin polarons in a two-dimensional Kondo lattice have been considered under the conditions when the hopping integral is comparable to the s-d exchange interaction energy. The polaron excitation spectrum and the superconducting transition temperature have been found taking into account upper triplet states. The change in the concentration dependence of the critical temperature of the transition to the superconducting phase with the relation between the hopping integral and the integral of the s-d exchange coupling has been analyzed.     

Approaches to the creation of an active electrically small superconductive antenna

The physical principles of designing active electrically small superconductive antennas are investigated. These antennas are based on an array of superconducting quantum interference cells characterized by a high linearity of magnetic-signal conversion into voltage. The results of experimental investigation into an active antenna prototype containing 80 cells connected in series and occupying an area of 3.3 × 3.3 m are presented. The proposed integrated circuit is fabricated via the standard niobium technique of the formation of Josephson-junction elements with a critical current density of 4.5 kA/cm².     

Enhancements of the superconducting transition temperature within the two-band model

The two-band model as introduced by Suhl, Matthias and Walker [Phys. Rev. Lett. 3, 552 (1959)] accounts for multiple energy bands in the vicinity of the Fermi energy which could contribute to electron pairing in superconducting systems. Here, extensions of this model are investigated wherein the effects of coupled superconducting order parameters with different symmetries and the presence of strong electron-lattice coupling on the superconducting transition temperature T_c are studied . Substantial enhancements of T_c are obtained from both effects.Received: 2 July 2003, Published online: 2 April 2004PACS: 74.20.-z Theories and models of superconducting state