Superconducting IF biasing circuit for low-noise cryogenic applications

• A planar superconducting circuit designed for use in low-noise cryogenic applications is presented. The circuit is a bias-T combined with a 4–8 GHz impedance matching circuitry, which employs entirely planar design with a novel layout. The proposed and tested circuitry is intended to be used with a SIS mixer and incorporates a double section transformer based on microstrip line technology with a total impedance transformation of 5:1 within the frequency band. One of the transformer sections employs a three-line coupled line, which also serves as a DC block capacitor. The microstrip lines were manufactured using superconducting Nb metallization, which provides a conduction loss-free solution at the operation temperature of 4 K. S-parameter measurements at 4 K temperature were performed and found to be in a good agreement with the simulations. The device measured return loss is better than −10 dB within the frequency band. Furthermore, the circuit was tested as a part of 385 – 500 GHz double sideband heterodyne SIS receiver demonstrating a flat noise temperature response of 80 – 90 K over the entire IF band of 4 – 8 GHz.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik -- Den kondenserade materiens fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences -- Condensed Matter Physics (hsv//eng)

Publication and Content Type

kon (subject category)

ref (subject category)