Development of terahertz mixers and a study of their characteristics

We develop terahertz mixers with monolithic integrated circuits containing balanced, series and antiparallel pairs of Schottky diodes. The designs of these mixers and a method for studying their parameters are described. The best results are obtained for the antiparallel diode pair. In this case, the double-sideband noise temperature of the receiver amounts to 5600–7500 K when operating at the second heterodyne-oscillator harmonic near the frequency 0.71 THz.     

Laser speckle reduction using motionless image conduits

We have demonstrated a speckle reduction method using motionless image conduits (MICs). Different experimental conditions by introducing the high-coherence HeNe laser and the low-coherence laser diode (LD) as the illumination light sources, by employing the straight MIC and the curved MIC as the speckle reduction components, and by recording speckle images without (objective speckle) and with (subjective speckle) the imaging lens mounted on the CCD camera are conducted, respectively. The most efficient speckle reduction condition is found by the combination of using the LD and the curved MIC, where the objective speckle contrast ratio is reduced from 0.7378 to 0.1725. Experimental results are discussed, and the causes for these speckle reduction efficiency changes are given.     

Cryogenic operation of submillimeter quasioptical mixers

We report here the first results obtained by cooling a submillimeter quasioptical mixer, utilizing a Schottky diode in a corner reflector mixer structure. Measurements have been carried out at a wavelength of 434 microns. The diode inverse slope parameter V_o at low current decreases by a factor of 3 upon cooling to 50 K while the minimum system noise temperature of 5600 K (SSB), including the IF contribution, demonstrates a reduction of approximately 40% from the ambient temperature value. We also report improved system noise temperatures at 184 m and 119 m wavelengths of 38000 K and 64000 K (SSB), respectively.This work was supported by the Army Research Office and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research     

Broadband IF matching for quasioptical mixers

Everyone recognizes the need to drive symmetric quasioptical antennas in a symmetric way to maintain clean antenna patterns; in this note we report on the advantages of bringing out the IF in a symmetric (balanced) way as well. The main difference in IF circuits between waveguide and open structure mixers is that the quasioptical mixers are usually also open at IF wavelengths, so IF currents can flow on the outside of the mixer mounting structures. We measured these surface currents and their associated resonances on a scale model of our mixer block for a 690 GHz SIS mixer. Bringing the IF off the mixer with a balanced circuit solves the surface current problems, yielding a broad bandwidth with predictable impedances. We successfully tested an octave bandwidth IF matching circuit for open structure mixers that incorporates a commercial 180° hybrid at cryogenic temperatures. We also found that surface currents are not significant for corner cube mixers because they generate their own balancing currents.     

SIS quasiparticle mixers with bow-tie antennas

We have designed and evaluated planar lithographed W-band SIS mixers with bow-tie antennas and several different RF cou;ling structures. Both Pb-In-Au/Pb-Bi and Nb/Pb-In-Au junctions were used, each with R_NC«1. Single junctions and series arrays of five junctions directly attached to bow-tie antennas with no additional coupling structure gave poor performance, as expected. Single junctions with inductive microstrips and five-junction arrays with parallel wire inductors gave good coupling over bandwidths of 5 and 25 percent respectively. Good agreement was found between design calculations based on a simple equivalent circuit and measurements of the frequency dependence of the mixer gain. When good coupling was achieved, typical values of mixer gain G_M (DSB)0 dB, noise T_M(DSB)150 K, and receiver noise 200 K were observed. These measurements are referred to the cryostat window. When corrected for the estimated loss between the cryostat window and the antenna terminals, these values of gain are comparable to those observed for W-band waveguide mixers with IF matching, but the noise is significantly higher. There is evidence that 100 K radiation surrounding the mixer reduces the gain and increases the noise. No systematic difference was observed between the performance of Pb-In-Au/Pb-Bi junctions and Nb/Pb-In-Au junctions when the area of the latter was made three times smaller and the current density three times larger so as to maintain the same capacitance and resistance.Work supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant #AFOSR 85-0230.     

Mode multiplexing in optical frequency mixers

Asymmetric Y junctions allow the development of a new class of optical frequency mixers that utilize higher-order waveguide modes for signal processing. We measure high-contrast (>30 dB) mode sorting in asymmetric Y junctions by use of a novel technique: efficient TM00, TM10, and TM20 mode mixing in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide. We also demonstrate an odd-to-even mode wavelength converter capable of spectral inversion without offset or bidirectional wavelength conversion.     

Integrated tuning elements for SIS mixers

The use of inductive elements to tune out the junction capacitance in SIS mixers is examined. Two new integrated tuning structures are introduced which overcome the limitations of earlier designs.The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is operated by the Associated Universities, Inc. under contract with the National Science Foundation.This paper was presented at the 1987 International Superconductivity Electronics Conference, Tokyo, Aug. 1987.     

Mixing kinetics and write-once optical recording characteristics of Sb/Se bilayer films

Bilayer Sb/Se films are irradiated with 12 ns pulses from an ArF laser (extended areas) and from a focused Ar⁺ laser (micron-sized areas). Real-time reflectivity measurements are used to determine if the process occurs within the solid or liquid phase and the transformation time, in addition to measure the optical contrast and the medium sensitivity. Transmission electron microscopy is used to analyze the structure of the transformed areas and the medium resolution. The results show that mixing is initiated by preferential melting at the grain boundaries and an amorphous phase is produced upon irradiation at high energy densities. Finally, the characteristics of the mixing process in Sb/Se films as a write-once optical recording mechanism are discussed in terms of the sensitivity and resolution of the recorded spots and the time required for recording.     

Hot electron bolometric mixers: new terahertz technology

This paper presents an overview of recent results for NbN phonon-cooled hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixers. The noise temperature of the receivers based on both quasioptical and waveguide versions of HEB mixers has crossed the level of 1 K GHz⁻¹ at 430 GHz (410 K), 600–650 GHz (480 K), 750 GHz (600 K), 810 GHz (780 K) and is close to that level at 1.1 THz (1250 K) and 2.5 THz (4500 K). The gain bandwidth measured for quasioptical HEB mixer at 620 GHz reached 4 GHz and the noise temperature bandwidth was almost 8 GHz. Local oscillator power requirements are about 1 μW for mixers made by photolithography and about 100 nW for mixers made by e-beam lithography. A waveguide version of 800 GHz receiver was installed at the Submillimeter Telescope Observatory on Mt. Graham, AZ, to conduct astronomical observations of known submillimeter lines (CO, J=7→6, CI, J=2→1). It was proved that the receiver works as a practical instrument.     

Some recent developments in the design of SIS mixers

SIS mixers in which superconducting tuning elements are integrated with the tunnel junctions have resulted in very low noise heterodyne receivers in the range 68–260 GHz. Above 120 GHz the need for extremely small reduced-height waveguides is avoided by mounting the SIS junctions in a suspended-stripline circuit coupled to a full-height waveguide by a broadband probe. The special characteristics of coplanar transmission line permit the design of SIS mixers with low parasitic reactances. Such a mixer operates over the full WR-10 band (75–110 GHz) without mechanical tuners.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the First International Symposium on Space THz Technology, March, 1990.The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is operated by Associated Universities, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.     

Chaotic mixing of granular materials in two-dimensional tumbling mixers

We consider the mixing of similar, cohesionless granular materials in quasi-two-dimensional rotating containers by means of theory and experiment. A mathematical model is presented for the flow in containers of arbitrary shape but which are symmetric with respect to rotation by 180 degrees and half-filled with solids. The flow comprises a thin cascading layer at the flat free surface, and a fixed bed which rotates as a solid body. The layer thickness and length change slowly with mixer rotation, but the layer geometry remains similar at all orientations. Flow visualization experiments using glass beads in an elliptical mixer show good agreement with model predictions. Studies of mixing are presented for circular, elliptical, and square containers. The flow in circular containers is steady, and computations involving advection alone (no particle diffusion generated by interparticle collisions) show poor mixing. In contrast, the flow in elliptical and square mixers is time periodic and results in chaotic advection and rapid mixing. Computational evidence for chaos in noncircular mixers is presented in terms of Poincare sections and blob deformation. Poincare sections show regions of regular and chaotic motion, and blobs deform into homoclinic tendrils with an exponential growth of the perimeter length with time. In contrast, in circular mixers, the motion is regular everywhere and the perimeter length increases linearly with time. Including particle diffusion obliterates the typical chaotic structures formed on mixing; predictions of the mixing model including diffusion are in good qualitative and quantitative (in terms of the intensity of segregation variation with time) agreement with experimental results for mixing of an initially circular blob in elliptical and square mixers. Scaling analysis and computations show that mixing in noncircular mixers is faster than that in circular mixers, and the difference in mixing times increases with mixer size. (c) 1999 American Institute of Physics.     

Noise temperature distribution of superconducting hot electron bolometer mixers

We report on the investigation of optimal bias region of a wide-band superconducting hot electron bolometer(HEB)mixer in terms of noise temperature performance for multi-pixel heterodyne receiver application in the 5-meter Dome A Terahertz Explorer(DATE5) telescope. By evaluating the double sideband(DSB) receiver noise temperature(Trec) across a wide frequency range from 0.2 THz to 1.34 THz and with a large number of bias points, a broad optimal bias region has been observed, illustrating a good bias applicability for multipixel application since the performance of the HEB mixer is uniquely determined by each bias point. The noise temperature of the HEB mixer has been analyzed by calibrating the noise contribution of all RF components, whose transmissions have been measured by a time-domain spectroscopy. The corrected noise temperature distribution shows a frequency independence relation. The dependence of the optimal bias region on the bath temperature of the HEB mixer has also been investigated, the bath temperature has limited effect on the lowest receiver noise temperature until 7 K, however the optimal bias region deteriorates obviously with increasing bath temperature.     

Analytical prediction for the optimum operating conditions of SIS mixers

Using Tucker's quantum theory of mixing and a quasi five-frequency approximation proposed by Kerr et al., this paper explores the optimum operating conditions of SIS mixers in the frequency region of 100 to 650 GHz. Four parameters (i.e., R_nC_j product, normal state resistance R_n, RF source admittance (R_rf ^–+jB), and IF load resistance R_if) affecting the performance of an SIS mixer have been investigated. Our results indicate that, independent of the absolute value of R_n, the SIS mixer performance is dominated by R_rf/R_n and R_if/R_n; and that the mixer performance becomes quite insensitive to the R_nC_j product, as the mixer operating frequency goes up to submillimeter wavelengths. Concerning all properties of an SIS mixer, the optimum R_rf/R_n value seems proportional to f^1/n (n2), and the optimum R_if/R_n and jB/G_n values are relatively independent of frequency, about 0.5 to 1.5 and –j0.5 to –j1.0 respectively.On leave from Purple Mountain Observatory, China     

Scaled model measurements of embedding impedances for SIS waveguide mixers

Several scaled models have been used to determine the contributions of various waveguide mount parameters to the embedding impedance of a mm-wave SIS mixer. Measured effects of waveguide height, substrate orientation and width, junction location, lead inductance and RF-filter impedance are presented and discussed.     

Terahertz heterodyne receivers based on superconductive hot-electron bolometer mixers

We consider recent results in development of hot-electron bolometer mixers. Special attention is paid to optimization of the contacts between the antenna and the active area of a superconducting film. An important result in the study of the parasitic effect of direct detection is obtained during the measurement of the noise temperatures by the hot/cold load method. The latest results of studies of the waveguide hot-electron bolometer mixers and their successful practical applications are considered. Progress in development of high-frequency (over 1.3 THz) heterodyne receivers for several important international projects is discussed and new submillimeter radio astronomy projects ESPRIT and SAFIR are described.     

Projected noise in submillimeter-wave mixers with InSb Schottky diodes

The reduction of the equivalent noise temperature in liquidnitrogen-cooled submillimeter-wave mixers by the use of Schottky barriers on InSb instead of GaAs is evaluated by an analytical model that assumes limited local oscillator power and matched impedances. The calculations, executed at 1.0 and 1.8 Thz, take plasma resonance and skin effect into account. For single and multiple contacts on homogeneous semiconductor materials of optimum doping, the noise of InSb diodes is smaller than that of GaAs diodes by a factor of 3 to 14. A simplified model is used to predict the performance of epitaxial structures as well as alternative materials.This paper presents the results of one phase of research performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, sponsored by the National Aeronautics & Space Administration under Contract NAS 7-100.