Fabrication and Characterization of Ultrathin PBCO/YBCO/PBCO Constrictions for Hot Electron Bolometer THz Mixing Application

Author

Péroz, Christophe ; Dégardin, Annick F. ; Villégier, Jean-Claude ; Kreisler, Alain J.

Author_Institution

LGEP-Supelec, Univ. UPMC-Paris 6, Gif-sur-Yvette

Volume

17

Issue

2

fYear

2007

fDate

6/1/2007 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

637

Lastpage

640

Abstract

Superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB) mixers are a competitive alternative to conventional mixer technologies in the terahertz range because of their ultrawide bandwidth, high conversion gain, and low intrinsic noise level, even at 77 K. A technological process to realize HEBs based on high-Tc YBa₂Cu₃O_7-delta (YBCO) materials is described. Ultra- thin 12 to 40 nm layers were sputtered on MgO (100) substrates, sub-micrometer constrictions (0.5 mum times 0.5 mum) were etched on these and log-periodic gold antennas were then integrated. Good superconducting properties were measured after the whole process. Electrical transport characteristics of the device are discussed, ageing effects are considered and regular bolometric THz response results are given.

Keywords

barium compounds; bolometers; copper compounds; submillimetre wave mixers; superconducting materials; superconducting thin films; yttrium compounds; YBa₂Cu₃O₇; YBa₂Cu₃O₇ - System; conventional mixer technologies; conversion gain; intrinsic noise; log-periodic gold antennas; superconducting hot electron bolometer; ultrawide bandwidth; Bandwidth; Bolometers; Electrons; Fabrication; Noise level; Sputter etching; Submillimeter wave technology; Superconducting device noise; Superconducting materials; Yttrium barium copper oxide; Electrical transport; YBCO ultrathin film; hot-electron bolometer; submicron structures; terahertz wave detection;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Applied Superconductivity, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1051-8223

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TASC.2007.898739

Filename

4277663