Antenna-coupled 30 THz hot electron bolometer mixers

We report on design and characterization of a superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer Mixer integrated with a logarithmic spiral antenna for mid-IR range observations. The antenna parameters have been adjusted to achieve the ultimate performance at 10 ?m (30 THz) range where O3, NH3, CO2, CH4, N2O, \u85. lines in the Earth’s atmosphere, in planetary atmospheres and in the interstellar space can be observed. The HEB mixer is made of a thin NbN film deposited onto a GaAs substrate. To couple the radiation we rely on the quasioptical approach: the device is glued to a semi-spherical germanium lens with diameter ~ 3 mm. A wet cryostat equipped with a germanium window and narrow band-pass filter is used to characterize the antenna and estimate the mixer performance.QN/Quantum NanoscienceApplied Science