Cryogenic photonic local oscillator for 2mm band SIS heterodyne astronomical receiver array

Author

Fontana, A.L. ; Bortolotti, Y. ; Lazareff, B. ; Navarrini, A. ; Huggard, P.G. ; Ellison, B.N.

Author_Institution

IRAM, St. Martin d´´Heres

Volume

43

Issue

20

fYear

2007

Firstpage

1121

Lastpage

1123

Abstract

A single photomixer generated the local oscillator signal for a four-element focal plane array of niobium superconducting heterodyne receivers operating at 4 K. The photomixer incorporated an InGaAsP photodiode, driven by two 1.55 mum laser beams, that operated at an ambient temperature of 77 K. Its output signal propagated through a stainless steel waveguide to the 4 K cryostat stage. Distribution of LO power to each superconducting junction was accomplished via 17 dB broadwall waveguide couplers. Double sideband noise temperatures of the array were 60plusmn15K across the 129-174 GHz local oscillator band.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; indium compounds; niobium; oscillators; receivers; waveguide couplers; InGaAsP photodiode; SIS heterodyne astronomical receiver array; broadwall waveguide couplers; cryogenic photonic local oscillator; double sideband noise temperatures; four-element focal plane array; laser beams; local oscillator signal; niobium superconducting heterodyne receivers; output signal propagation; single photomixer; stainless steel waveguide; superconducting junction;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electronics Letters

Publisher

iet

ISSN

0013-5194

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/el:20071680

Filename

4338220