Heterodyne detection with superconducting tunnel diodes

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6159132

Wengler, M J

Heterodyne receivers based on superconductor - insulator - superconductor (SIS) tunnel diodes are the most sensitive available for near-millimeter wavelengths. In the first chapter, a basic description of SIS diodes, their interaction with radiation, and heterodyne detection are given. The important detailed results of J.R. Tucker's tunnel diode heterodyne theory are described. The second chapter presents a fully quantum-mechanical theory of heterodyne detection with diodes. The formalism is shown to obey quantum limits on sensitivity. The third chapter presents numerical results from the SIS mixer theory developed above. Four different nonideal tunnel diodes are used for these calculations. It is shown that reasonably good quality lead-alloy SISs should behave like photodiodes up to frequencies as high as 1500 GHz. Finally, chapter 4 presents a prototype open-structure SIS mixer. Measurements in the laboratory show this mixer to be quite sensitive for signal frequencies from 115 to 761 GHz.

• Research Organization: California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6159132
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
420800 -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ANTENNAS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HETERODYNE RECEIVERS
MECHANICS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
QUANTUM MECHANICS
RADIATIONS
RADIO EQUIPMENT
RADIO TELESCOPES
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SHORT WAVE RADIATION
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
TELESCOPES
TUNNEL DIODES