Superconducting Receivers for Space, Balloon, and Ground-Based Sub-Terahertz Radio Telescopes
We give a review of both our own original scientific results of the development of superconducting receivers for sub-terahertz astronomy and the main leading concepts of the global instrumentation. The analysis of current astronomical problems, the results of microwave astroclimate research, and the...
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Published in | Radiophysics and quantum electronics Vol. 63; no. 7; pp. 479 - 500 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
New York
Springer US
01.12.2020
Springer Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | We give a review of both our own original scientific results of the development of superconducting receivers for sub-terahertz astronomy and the main leading concepts of the global instrumentation. The analysis of current astronomical problems, the results of microwave astroclimate research, and the development of equipment for sub-terahertz radio astronomy studies justify the need and feasibility of a major infrastructure project in Russia to create a sub-terahertz telescope, as well as to enhance the implementation of the ongoing Millimetron and Suffa projects. The following results are discussed: i) superconducting coherent receivers and broadband subterahertz detectors for space, balloon, and ground-based radio telescopes have been developed and tested; ii) ultrasensitive receiving systems based on tunnel structures such as superconductor—insulator—superconductor (SIS) and superconductor—insulator—normal metal—insulator—superconductor (SINIS) have been created, fabricated, and examined; iii) a receiving array based on SINIS detectors and microwave readout system for such structures has been implemented; iv) methods for manufacturing high-quality tunnel structures Nb/AlO
x
/Nb and Nb/AlN/NbN based on niobium films with a current density of up to 30 kA/cm
2
have been developed. Receivers operated at 200 to 950 GHz and having a noise temperature only a factor of 2 to 5 higher than the quantum limit have been created and tested. |
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ISSN: | 0033-8443 1573-9120 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11141-021-10073-z |