Superconducting tunnel junction receiver for millimeter-wave astronomy

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:7250516

Pan, S K; Kerr, A R

The development and construction of an ultralow noise heterodyne receiver for millimeter wave astronomy is described along with its use for 115.3 GHz Co line observations. The receiver uses a Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS) quasiparticle tunnel junction mixer to convert the millimeter wave signal to a microwave intermediate frequency. Experiments aimed at quantitative verification of J. R. Tucker's quantum mixer theory are studied, to see whether it could be used as the basis for the design of a practical receiver. The experimental results were in excellent agreement with the theory, assuming the three frequency approximation. Infinite available gain and negative output resistance were observed for the first time, nonclassical effects which are not seen in conventional diode mixers. Using Tucker's theory, an SIS receiver was then designed and constructed. At 115 GHz, the single sideband receiver noise temperature is 83K, the lowest ever reported in this frequency range. A CO survey toward Cygnus-X region, using this SIS receiver on the Columbia-GISS 4 ft. telescope, is also described.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York (USA). Goddard Inst. for Space Studies
• OSTI ID: 7250516
• Report Number(s): N-86-30517; NASA-TM-87792; NAS-1.15:87792
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201* -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
HETERODYNE RECEIVERS
JUNCTIONS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIO EQUIPMENT
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TUNNEL DIODES