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.     

Production and characterization of refractive index gratings in high-birefringence fibre optics

In this work, we report production and modelling of both Bragg gratings and rocking filters in high birefringence fibre optics. Bragg gratings are produced by UV (257.0 nm) external interferometric exposition of a frequency-doubled Ar⁺ ion laser, whereas for rocking filters formation the visible Ar⁺ ion laser lines in 488.0 and 514.5 nm are used in an internal method. The spectral characteristics due to the birefringence properties are studied through numerical methods and experimental techniques. The spectral responsivity of the structures under temperature changes and stress application is presented.     

General Information

In this paper, we propose and analyze an SQP-type method for solving linearly constrained convex minimization problems where the objective functions are too complex to be evaluated exactly. Some basic results for global convergence and local superlinear convergence are obtained according to the properties of the approximation sequence. We illustrate the applicability of our approach by proposing a new method for solving two-stage stochastic programs with fixed recourse.     

On non-standard algebras and their representations

To Professor Guillermo Torres on the occasion of his 70^th birthday.     

The Dedekind-MacNeille completion as a reflector

We introduce a special type of order-preserving maps between quasiordered sets, the so-called cut-stable maps. These form the largest morphism class such that the corresponding category of quasiordered sets contains the category of complete lattices and complete homomorphisms as a full reflective subcategory, the reflector being given by the Dedekind-MacNeille completion (alias normal completion or completion by cuts). Suitable restriction of the object class leads to the category of separated quasiordered sets and its full reflective subcategory of completely distributive lattices. Similar reflections are obtained for continuous lattices, algebraic lattices, etc.     

Laser nanosources based on planar photonic crystals as new platforms for nanophotonic devices

Two-dimensional photonic crystal lasers have been fabricated on III–V semiconductor slabs. Tuning of the spontaneous emission in micro and nanocavities has been achieved by accurate control of the slab thickness. Different structures, some of them of new application to photonic crystal lasers, have been fabricated like the Suzuki-phase or the coupled-cavity ring-like resonators. Laser emission has been obtained by pulsed optical pumping. Optical characterization of the lasing modes have been performed showing one or more laser peaks centred around 1.55 μm. Far field characterization of the emission pattern has been realized showing different patterns depending on the geometrical shape of the structures. These kinds of devices may be used as efficient nanolaser sources for optical communications or optical sensors.     

Novel Technique for All-Optical Clock Extraction Using Fiber Bragg Gratings

We demonstrate a simple passive technique, using phase shifted fibre Bragg gratings, for extraction of optical clock signals from RZ optical data signals . The generation of an optical clock signal at 12.5 GHz from a 12.5 Gbs RZ optical data stream is experimentally demonstrated with simulation of optical clock extraction at 10 GHz fro m 40 Gbs OTDM data streams .