An analytic investigation of the superconductor quasiparticle mixer in the low power limit

Conference · Fri Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:5746625

Feldman, M J ^[1]

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1. Rochester Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering

The superconductor quasiparticle mixer can in principle approach quantum-noise limited sensitivity if an ideal superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) junction is used in the limit of zero local oscillator (LO) power; it can have infinite conversion gain in the same limit. In this paper a more physically realistic situation is studied. The properties of an SIS mixer using a slightly nonideal junction, with finite LO power, are determined by analytic expansion of the equations of the quantum theory of mixing. The result is that the conversion gain using any reasonably good quality SIS junction is essentially equal to that using a perfect junction. Quite to the contrary. The minimum noise temperature is controlled by the leakage current of the junction.

• OSTI ID: 5746625
• Report Number(s): CONF-900944--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) Journal Volume: 27:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661100 -- Classical & Quantum Mechanics-- (1992-)
665411 -- Basic Superconductivity Studies-- (1992-)
665412* -- Superconducting Devices-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AMPLIFICATION
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
FIELD THEORIES
GAIN
JUNCTIONS
OSCILLATORS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUASI PARTICLES
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY