Terahertz detector using a Nb-based superconducting tunnel junction

Author

Otani, C. ; Hoshino, K. ; Taino, T. ; Myoren, H. ; Nakano, R. ; Ariyoshi, S. ; Sato, H. ; Shimizu, H.M. ; Takada, S. ; Kawase, K.

Author_Institution

RIKEN, Inst. of Phys. & Chem. Res., Saitama, Japan

fYear

2004

fDate

27 Sept.-1 Oct. 2004

Firstpage

243

Lastpage

244

Abstract

We have developed a terahertz (THz) radiation detector using a Nb-based superconducting tunnel junction (STJ). The STJ was fabricated on a stoichiometric LiNbO₃ substrate. The incident THz photons absorbed by the substrate generate THz phonons, and a substantial amount of the phonons are detected by the STJ. The detector is expected to be sensitive to a wideband THz/far-infrared radiation above the energy gap of the Nb superconductor. We radiated monochromatic nanosecond THz pulses with the repetition rate of 49 Hz, and detected the corresponding periodic signals for the 1.1-1.9 THz radiation.

Keywords

aluminium; aluminium compounds; energy gap; infrared detectors; niobium; phonons; stoichiometry; submillimetre wave detectors; superconducting energy gap; superconductive tunnelling; superconductor-insulator-superconductor devices; 1.1 to 1.9 THz; 49 Hz; LiNbO₃; Nb based superconducting tunnel junction; Nb-Al-AlO_x-Al-Nb; THz phonons; energy gap; far infrared radiation; monochromatic nanosecond THz pulses; stoichiometric LiNbO₃ substrate; wideband THz radiation detector; wideband terahertz radiation detector; Aluminum; Biological materials; Biomedical materials; Fabrication; Frequency; Josephson junctions; Niobium; Phonons; Radiation detectors; Superconducting epitaxial layers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Infrared and Millimeter Waves, 2004 and 12th International Conference on Terahertz Electronics, 2004. Conference Digest of the 2004 Joint 29th International Conference on

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8490-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ICIMW.2004.1422045

Filename

1422045