Investigation of GaAs Schottky barrier diodes in the THz range

The properties of GaAs Schottky barrier diodes as video detectors and mixing elements were investigated in the frequency range from 0.8–2.5 THz. For the most sensitive diode, the video responsivity and system noise temperature were measured as a function of incident laser power. The highest video responsivity was 2,000 V/W at 214m and 60 V/W at 118m. For five diodes differing in doping, capacitance, series resistance and anode diameter, the system noise temperature was measured at 214m and 118m. The best single sideband (SSB) values are 12,300 K and 24,200 K at 214m and 118m, respectively. The system noise temperature versus frequency is given over the range from 0.5–3 THz for two specific diodes demonstrating that the sharpness of the I–V characteristics is only of secondary importance for mixer perfomance at such high frequencies.     

Wide-band low noise MM-wave SIS mixers with a single tuning element

Several SIS quasiparticle mixers have been designed and tested for the frequency range from 80 to 115 GHz. The sliding backshort is the only adjustable RF tuning element. The RF filter reactance is used as a fixed RF matching element. A mixer which uses a single 2×2 m² Pb-alloy junction in a quarter-height waveguide mount has a coupled conversion gain of G_M(DSB)=2.6±0.5 dB with an associated noise temperature of T_M(DSB)=16.4±1.8 K at the best DSB operation point. The receiver noise temperature T_R(DSB) is 27.5±0.8 K for the mixer test apparatus. This mixer provides a SSB receiver noise temperature below 50 K over the frequency range from 91 to 96 GHz, the minimum being T_R(SSB)=44±4 K. Another mixer with an array of five 5×5 m² junctions in series in a full-height wave-guide mount has much lower noise temperature T_M(DSB)=6.6±1.6 K, but less gain G_M(DSB)=–5.1±0.5 dB.Contribution of the U.S. Government, not subject to copyright     

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.     

Simultaneous two wavelength operation of an optically pumped HCOOH laser on orthogonally polarized modes

Simultaneous laser operation in orthogonally polarized EH₁₁ and TE₀₁ waveguide modes is reported for pairs of cascade lines from an optically pumped formic acid vapour laser incorporating a strip grating output coupler. Observations were made for the 394 m/406 m and 433 m/446 m cascade sequences, the resonator length being adjusted so that the laser was simultaneously resonant on a mode of the primary transition polarized perpendicular to the strips of the output coupler and the same transverse mode of the secondary transition polarized parallel to the coupler strips. Power measurements showed that for the laser configuration used in this study the power of the primary transition was increased only slightly when the cascade lines were simultaneously resonant, whereas the secondary line could only lase under these conditions.     

An Approach to Linear Scalable DH-PHEMT Model for Millimeterwave Application

This paper describes a scalable small-signal equivalent circuit for 0.25 m gatelength Double Heterojunction delta-doped PHEMTs. The scaling rules for all elements except the pad capacitances and bondwire inductances have been determined. Good agreement is obtained between simulation results and measured results for 2 times 20 m , 2 times 40 m, 2 times 60 m, 2 times 100 m gate width (number of gate fingers times unit gate width) DH PHEMT.     

Actively mode-locked 1.3 and 1.55 μm InGaAsP diode lasers

Active mode-locking of uncoated InGaAsP diode lasers having an external diffraction grating cavity was investigated experimentally. A high frequency r.f. signal and short-duration electrical pulses were used to drive the lasers. The pulse duration was measured by an ultrafast streak camera. Pulses as short as 13 ps at 1.3m and 29 ps at 1.55m were generated at a repetition rate of 1 GHz. The reason for obtaining broader pulses from the 1.55m laser which had the same structure as the 1.3m diode laser is explained.Formerly with GEC Hirst Research Centre, Wembley, Middlesex, UK.     

Short-Range Inverse-Square Law Experiment in Space

The objective of ISLES (Inverse-Square Law Experiment in Space) is to perform a null test of Newton's law in space with a resolution of one part in 10⁵ or better at 100 m. ISLES will be sensitive enough to detect axions with the strongest allowed coupling and probe large extra dimensions of string theory down to a few m. The experiment will be cooled to 2 K, which permits superconducting magnetic levitation of the test masses. This soft, low-loss suspension, combined with a low-noise SQUID, leads to extremely low intrinsic noise in the detector. To minimize Newtonian errors, ISLES employs a near null source, a circular disk of large diameter-to-thickness ratio. Two test masses, also disk-shaped, are suspended on the two sides of the source mass at a nominal distance of 100 m. The signal is detected by a superconducting differential accelerometer.     

A μSR study of spin density wave condensation in Cr85Mo15

Zero field SR spectra from Cr₈₅Mo₁₅ are well described by the sum of a lightly damped (0.02s^–1<₁<0.2s^–1) and a heavily damped (2s^–1<₂<15s^–1) exponential. The temperature dependence of these components is discussed in relation to the condensation of the incommensurate spin density wave and the onset of the antiferromagnetic state in this Cr-like alloy below T_N=120K. Evidence is presented for the nucleation of the spin density wave at temperatures greater than 1.5T_N.     

Probability of predissociation of mesic molecules HμHe

The probability of predissociation of the HHe mesomolecules has been calculated for different hydrogen and helium isotopes. It is shown, that for pHe molecules the predissociation is the main channel for mesomolecular decay, while for tHe mesomolecules the main channel is a radiative decay. The KEK data on the relative smallness of the yield of -quanta from the radiative decay of mesomolecules d³He as compared with d⁴He can be explained if one takes into consideration the mesomolecular predissociation channel and the difference in their production rate.     

Light absorption in laser-heated cavities

The absorption of laser light in 0.25–1 mm diameter gold cavities, irradiated for the purpose of generating high-temperature blackbody radiation with intense laser radiation of either =0.44 m or =1.3 m wavelength, was investigated. For =0.44 m radiation the absorption exceeded 0.9 for all conditions, but dropped to only 0.3 for the smallest cavities irradiated at =1.3 m. Entrance hole and cavity filling with plasma seems important for the understanding of the observations.     

Low noise 80–115 GHz quasiparticle mixer with small Nb/Al-Oxide/Nb tunnel junctions

Millimeter-wave characterization of a heterodyne receiver using (2 m²) Nb/Al-Ox/Nb Superconducting-Insulator-Superconducting (SIS) junctions arrays is reported. The fabrication of the Nb/Al-Ox/Nb SIS junction arrays as a heterodyne mixer is described. The leakage current of these junctions is below 2A at 4.2K and unmeasurable at 2.5K. The receiver gave a noise temperature Double Side Band (DSB) between 63K and 187K over the frequency range 80 to 115 GHz at the first conversion peak. The results are comparable to those obtained with SIS receivers using well researched lead junctions. Contrary to the lead junctions, our mixer using all Nb junctions have proven remarkably stable with respect to thermal cycling, characteristics which are required for space applications. To our knowledge, this is the most reliable low noise receiver operating in this frequency range.     

Polarizing properties of wire gratings in the long wave infrared

The parameters of wire gratings with various relationships between their period and the spacing of the wires have been studied experimentally. It is shown that a single grating with a period of 30 m and a wire diameter of 8 m polarizes not less than 92% of radiation in the 150–650 m wavelength range, while two such gratings polarize almost all the radiation in this range.     

Theory of muonic molecule formation: Survey of progress and open questions

The Auger mechanism of muonic molecule formation is operative for all the isotopic reaction channels, and the agreement between theory and experiment is quite good for all the observable reactions. For dd and dt formation, however, the resonance mechanism of Vesman is dominant and produces some dramatic effects. For dd, the temperature dependences for the different hyperfine states provide a striking confirmation of the theory. For dt, the comparison with experimental is much more difficult, and furthermore the appearance of an evident three-body contribution to the formation cross section presents a formidable challenge to theory. A completely convincing and practical method of calculating this term has yet to be achieved, but a classical trajectory model which provides some insight into the underlying physics is presented.     

Incoherent tunnelling of positive muons and trapping by vacancies in electron-irradiated aluminium

We have measured the transverse spin relaxation of positive muons ⁺ in Al single crystals after irradiation at 150 K with 3 MeV electrons. The relaxation functions agree with those expected for diffusion-limited trapping of the ⁺ in monovacancies. Between 215 K and 60 K the ⁺ diffusivity is well described by the Flynn-Stoneham law (multi-phonon incoherent tunnelling between ground states) with an activation enthalpyH _a = (30±2) meV. At lower temperatures, few-phonon (in particular one-phonon) processes become important. The decrease of the vacancy concentration by a factor of 100 during annealing between 227 K and 267 K has been studied.     

Far infrared transmission spectra of ferroelectric guanidine aluminium sulfate hexahydrate

Far IR transmission spectra of ferroelectric GASH are obtained at 300 K-80 K and 4 K for crystal plates cut perpendicular to C₃ with increasing thicknesses.Beer's law is well observed from t=20 m to t=55 m, which shows that such samples are homogeneous. For t=700 m the computed absorption is higher than observed, and a surface layer model is proposed where the bulk is more transparent than the surface.Similar effects have been observed in TGS where even for t=8 mm thick samples, the transmission of the lowest frequency band does not go to zero. A similar experiment is planned for GASH before making any definite conclusion on the evidence of surface layers in GASH.     

Bremsstrahlung of Debye plasma

The effect of Debye screening on the bremsstrahlung spectrum and total bremsstrahlung intensity of plasma is calculated. As compared with the Coulomb field approximation (infinitely large Debye radiusL) an additional density and temperature dependence of the radiation intensity is found. Results are expressed in terms of a dimensionless parameter=²/2mL ² kT, wherem is the rest mass of an electron and other symbols have their standard meaning. Deviations from the Coulomb field approximation become significant for the values 10^–3.I am grateful to Dr. J.Horáek and Dr. J.Obdrálek for their help in performing the numerical calculations.     

A new procedure for thin-film deposition by solution spraying

The major reasons for the low photovoltaic efficiency of Cu₂S/CdS cells, in which the CdS film is deposited by spraying, are due to small film thicknesses which do not exceed 4 m and the small average grain size which ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 m.A new experimental solution spraying procedure is described that prevents both restrictions by controlling the substrate temperature. Average grain sizes of more than 1 m are obtained.Work supported by Ministere Pubblica Istruzione and Centro Regionale Ricerche Nucleari e di Struttura della Materia     

Determination of the Coefficient of Laser Radiation Reflection from Dielectric Targets in Vacuum

We present the results of experimental determination of the coefficients of laser radiation reflection (₁ 10.6 m and ₂ 1.06 m) from dielectric targets of complex chemical composition in vacuum with allowance for a regime of developed plasma formation.     

Positivity of entropy production in the presence of a random thermostat

We study nonequilibrium statistical mechanics in the presence of a thermostat acting by random forces, and propose a formula for the rate of entropy productione() in a state . When is a natural nonequilibrium steady state we show thate()0, and sometimes we can provee()>0.