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Title: Superconducting microwave cavity parametric converter transducer sensitive to 10/sup -19/ M harmonic motion

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6213638

Toward the development of a transducer suitable for the detection of high frequency gravitational effects, a superconducting microwave coupled-cavity parametric converter transducer has been analyzed, developed and tested. An analysis is presented of the intermodal parametric conversion which is produced by harmonic perturbaton of the length of a 10 GHz TE/sub 011/ mode cylindrical resonant cavity. The converter is examined as a transducer of displacement with harmonic frequency near the intermodal difference frequency. Transducer sensitivity dependence upon cavity tunings, couplings, and Q-factors is analyzed and experimentally tested with excellent agreement. The transducer consists of two identical coupled TE/sub 011/ niobium cavities with one endwall driven into mechanical oscillation by an externally mounted piezoelectric ceramic. A displacement with effective amplitude (3.7 +/- 1.3) x 10/sup -19/ m and frequency 1.13 MHz has been observed by detecting a 10GHz conversion power of 10/sup -21/ watts. This measurement was obtained with 0.12 mJ stored in a cavity resonance with an unloaded Q-factor of 6.7 x 10/sup 8/ at 1.55/sup 0/K. The applications of this device in the detection of high frequency gravitational effects are also discussed. Finally, the prospects for improvement of transducer sensitivity and the ultimate limitations are presented.

Research Organization:
Rochester Univ., NY (USA)
OSTI ID:
6213638
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English