Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Dual channel 115 and 230 GHz SIS receivers in operation at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory

Conference · · IEEE Trans. Magn.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6042612
The Owens Valley Radio Observatory millimeter-wave interferometer array is presently operating with dual channel SIS tunnel junction receivers. The first channel covers the frequency range from 85 to 120 GHz and the second channel covers the frequency range from 200 to 300 GHz. The mixers consist of a corrugated feedhorn, single-stage circular to rectangular waveguide transition, reduced-height waveguide with an SIS junction mounted across the E-plane and a non-contacting backshort. The mixer block has a built-in RF choke for the IF signal path which is designed to present a short circuit to the junction at frequencies above the 2 GHz IF frequency. The small area (<1 ..mu..m/sup 2/) PbInAu-native oxide-PbAu SIS tunnel junctions are fabricated using a bridge lift-off technique. The LO power is provided by Gunn oscillators followed by doublers or triplers. The receivers in the 85 to 120 GHz band have noise temperatures of <100 K, while the receivers in the 200 to 300 GHz band have noise temperatures in the range from 200 to 300 K. These dual channel receivers are mounted in 4.5 K closed cycle refrigerators. They are in continuous use on the three element millimeter-wavelength interferometer array.
Research Organization:
4979000; 9522750
OSTI ID:
6042612
Report Number(s):
CONF-880812-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: IEEE Trans. Magn.; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English