Terahertz spectroscopy by Josephson oscillator and cold-electron bolometer

Paper in proceeding, 2004

For sensitive wideband spectroscopy at THz frequencies with performance better than for Fourier Transform Spectrometer, one needs a wide-range electrically tunable, narrow linewidth THz source, and a sensitive broadband detector. To obtain a low noise level of sensor we use a superconducting normal metal cold electron bolometer (CEB). A voltage response of the bolometer is 4.108 V/W and an amplifier-limited technical noise equivalent power of the bolometer is 1.25.10-17 W/Hz1/2. The wide band electrically tuned terahertz band cryogenic oscillator is a Josephson junction. Contrary to conventional Josephson junctions based on niobium, and naturally limited in frequency by energy gap of about 700 GHz, the high critical temperature YBaCuO junctions can extend this limit by an order of magnitude. At 4 K such oscillators can radiate at frequencies exceeding 2 THz. Signals received by bolometers integrated with double-dipole and log-periodic antennas and irradiated by the Josephson oscillator show in our experiments the high frequency response corresponding to an oscillation frequency of up to 1.75 THz. Such cryogenic terahertz network analyzer is suitable for low-signal spectral evaluation of cryogenic detectors, quasioptical sub-mm cryogenic filters, planar antennas with planar microwave filters, integrated structures comprising such elements, and arrays of cryogenic receivers.