45 research outputs found
Experimental observation of bias-dependent non-local Andreev reflection
We investigate transport through hybrid structures consisting of two normal
metal leads connected via tunnel barriers to one common superconducting
electrode. We find clear evidence for the occurrence of non-local Andreev
reflection and elastic cotunneling through superconductor when the separation
of the tunnel barrier is comparable to the superconducting coherence length.
The probability of the two processes is energy dependent, with elastic
cotunneling dominating at low energy and non-local Andreev reflection at higher
energies. The energy scale of the crossover is found to be the Thouless energy
of the superconductor, which indicates the phase coherence of the processes.
Our results are relevant for the realization of recently proposed entangler
devices.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in PR
Low-noise 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixers for the Herschel Space Observatory
Heterodyne mixers incorporating Nb SIS junctions and NbTiN-SiO/sub 2/-Al microstrip tuning circuits offer the lowest reported receiver noise temperatures to date in the 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz frequency bands. In particular, improvements in the quality of the NbTiN ground plane of the SIS devices' on-chip microstrip tuning circuits have yielded significant improvements in the sensitivity of the 0.96-1.12-THz mixers relative to previously presented results. Additionally, an optimized RF design incorporating a reduced-height waveguide and suspended stripline RF choke filter offers significantly larger operating bandwidths than were obtained with mixers that incorporated full-height waveguides near 1 THz. Finally, the impact of junction current density and quality on the performance of the 0.8-0.96-THz mixers is discussed and compared with measured mixer sensitivities, as are the relative sensitivities of the 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz mixers
Low-noise 0.8-0.96- and 0.96-1.12-THz superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixers for the herschel space observatory
HARP/ACSIS: A submillimetre spectral imaging system on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
This paper describes a new Heterodyne Array Receiver Programme (HARP) and
Auto-Correlation Spectral Imaging System (ACSIS) that have recently been
installed and commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT). The
16-element focal-plane array receiver, operating in the submillimetre from 325
to 375 GHz, offers high (three-dimensional) mapping speeds, along with
significant improvements over single-detector counterparts in calibration and
image quality. Receiver temperatures are 120 K across the whole band and
system temperatures of 300K are reached routinely under good weather
conditions. The system includes a single-sideband filter so these are SSB
figures. Used in conjunction with ACSIS, the system can produce large-scale
maps rapidly, in one or more frequency settings, at high spatial and spectral
resolution. Fully-sampled maps of size 1 square degree can be observed in under
1 hour.
The scientific need for array receivers arises from the requirement for
programmes to study samples of objects of statistically significant size, in
large-scale unbiased surveys of galactic and extra-galactic regions. Along with
morphological information, the new spectral imaging system can be used to study
the physical and chemical properties of regions of interest. Its
three-dimensional imaging capabilities are critical for research into
turbulence and dynamics. In addition, HARP/ACSIS will provide highly
complementary science programmes to wide-field continuum studies, and produce
the essential preparatory work for submillimetre interferometers such as the
SMA and ALMA.Comment: MNRAS Accepted 2009 July 2. 18 pages, 25 figures and 6 table