학술논문

Design and Performance of a Sideband Separating SIS Mixer for 800–950 GHz
Document Type
Periodical
Source
IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology IEEE Trans. THz Sci. Technol. Terahertz Science and Technology, IEEE Transactions on. 9(6):532-539 Nov, 2019
Subject
Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Mixers
Receivers
Superconducting devices
Couplers
Submillimeter wave technology
Image rejection ratio (IRR)
sideband separating (2SB) mixers
submillimeter wave technology
superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) junctions
terahertz receivers
Language
ISSN
2156-342X
2156-3446
Abstract
We present the design and results of characterization of a new sideband separating (2SB) mixer for 800–950 GHz, based on superconductor–insulator–superconductor (SIS) junctions. This is the first waveguide 2SB SIS mixer demonstrated at such a high frequency. The design is following the classical quadrature hybrid architecture, meanwhile additional attention was put on the reduction of reflections in the RF structure in order to minimize the RF imbalance, to achieve a high image rejection ratio (IRR). The RF waveguide block was manufactured by micromilling and populated by single-ended SIS mixers developed earlier for upgrade of the CHAMP+ high-band array on the APEX telescope. These SIS mixers have double-sideband (DSB) noise temperatures from 210 to 400 K. The assembled 2SB mixer yields a SSB noise temperature from 450 to 900 K, with an IRR above 15 dB in 95% of the band. Comparing the DSB and the SSB sensitivities, we find that the waveguide losses are as low as expected and do not exceed 0.6 dB. The presented mixer is a prototype for use in a 2SB dual polarization receiver planned for deployment on the APEX telescope.