THz Range Low-Noise SIS Receivers for Space and Ground-Based Radio Astronomy
Source abstract
Abstract
We report on research in the field of low-noise receiving systems in the sub-terahertz (THz) range, carried out in recent years, aimed at developing receivers with quantum sensitivity for implementation in space and ground-based radio telescopes. Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS) mixers based on high-quality tunnel junctions are the key elements of the most sensitive sub-THz heterodyne receivers. Motivations and physical background for technology improvement and optimization, as well as fabrication details, are described. This article presents the results of the SIS receiver developments for the 211–275 GHz and 790–950 GHz frequency ranges with a noise temperature in the double sideband (DSB) mode of approximTELY 20 K and 200 K, respectively. These designs and achievements are implemented in the development of the receiving systems for the Russian Space Agency mission “Millimetron”, and for the ground-based APEX (Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment) telescope.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Superconducting and THz Device Technology · Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology · Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Kotelnikov Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of Russian Academy of Sciences, Mokhovaya 11-7, 125009 Moscow, Russia
Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
Astro Space Center of Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 117810 Moscow, Russia
Instituto da Astronomia, University of São Paulo, Rua do Matão, São Paulo 1226, Brazil
Funding
Russian Foundation for Basic Research · The Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation · Russian Science Foundation · Dutch Research Council
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