Superconducting phase shifter in the development of a Terahertz Imaging Radar System. Final technical report, August 1986-January 1987

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:7003740

Baliga, S; Radparvar, M; Faris, S M

A Terahertz Imaging Radar System which exploits superconductive electronics for all of its major components is described in this report. In particular, the importance of the superconducting millimeter(mm)-wave phase shifter in the development of such systems was fully investigated. The experimental and theoretical results presented are better than the authors expected to achieve under Phase I of the project. Conventional technology is unable to provide the high frequencies required to obtain small apertures for target acquisition. Superconducting technology offers a high-performance, very broadband and low-power, mm- and sub-mm wave phase shifter based on superconducting microstrips. The physics of the non-equilibrium superconductivity underlying the operation of the superconducting microstrip phase shifter has been studied. Theoretical analysis and numerous experimental results show that superconducting stripline modulation leading to phase velocity reduction and subsequent phase shift is achievable by quasi-particle injection. A digital N-bit phase shifter based on the superconducting microstrip transmission line is proposed for development. The implementations of such a mm and sub-mm wave phase shifter will fulfill a crucial need in the development of the Terahertz Imaging Radar.

• Research Organization: Hypress, Inc., Elmsford, NY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7003740
• Report Number(s): AD-A-190666/8/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
42 ENGINEERING
IMAGE INTENSIFIERS
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
RADAR
APERTURES
DIGITAL SYSTEMS
MODULATION
PHASE SHIFT
PHYSICS
PROGRESS REPORT
SUPERCONDUCTORS
VELOCITY
DOCUMENT TYPES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OPENINGS
RANGE FINDERS
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