Analysis of the broad IF-band performance of MgB2 HEB mixers
Journal article, 2019

We present an experimental study of gain and noise bandwidths in superconducting MgB2 hot-electron bolometer (HEB) terahertz mixers in a 0.1-20 GHz intermediate frequency (IF) range. At an elevated temperature and with a 90-GHz local oscillator (LO), we measure a gain bandwidth of 13-14 GHz, which is the first accurate data for ultrathin MgB2 films. The output noise spectrum has its maximum in the 100-200 K range, depending on the temperature (or the LO power) and the bias point, and its spectrum also confirms the gain bandwidth data obtained with the mixing experiment. Using both the gain and the output noise spectra, we obtain the mixer input noise temperature, which is nearly constant up to 20 GHz. Using the measured data and the HEB mixer theory, we argue that noise bandwidth in the current MgB2 HEB mixers is ∼30 GHz.

Author

Narendra Acharya

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory

Evgenii Novoselov

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Microwave Electronics

Serguei Cherednichenko

Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Terahertz and Millimetre Wave Laboratory

IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology

2156-342X (ISSN) 21563446 (eISSN)

Vol. 9 6 565-571 8861092

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Areas of Advance

Information and Communication Technology

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Infrastructure

Kollberg Laboratory

Nanofabrication Laboratory

Subject Categories

Physical Sciences

Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

Nano Technology

DOI

10.1109/TTHZ.2019.2945203

More information

Latest update

3/8/2021 5