Receiver measurements at 1267 GHz using a diffusion-cooled superconducting transition-edge bolometer

• Published in: IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity Vol. 7; no. 2; pp. 3568 - 3571
• Main Authors: Skalare, A., McGrath, W.R., Bumble, B., LeDuc, H.G.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.1997; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bolometers; Circuit properties; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronics; Electrons; Exact sciences and technology; Extraterrestrial measurements; Frequency; Lenses; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Niobium; Phonons; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Space technology; Superconducting device noise; Superconducting devices; Temperature
• ISSN: 1051-8223; 1558-2515
• DOI: 10.1109/77.622170

We report receiver noise temperature measurements using a quasioptically coupled diffusion-cooled hot-electron bolometer mixer at a local oscillator frequency of 1267 GHz, and an intermediate frequency of 1.4 GHz. A best double-sideband (DSB) receiver noise temperature of 1880 K was measured, with an estimated mixer noise of 945 K (DSB), and a conversion efficiency including coupling losses of -19 dB (DSB). The coupled local oscillator power requirement for this device is estimated at roughly 6 nW. The mixer noise temperature is less than twice that measured earlier in a waveguide receiver at 530 GHz, which shows that the sensitivity of this type of mixer does not degrade sharply with increasing frequency in this regime.