106 research outputs found
Spatial and frequency dependencies of local photoresponse of HTS strip-line resonator in regime of two-tone microwave intermodulation excitation
A new phenomenological approach to spatially-resolved research of nonlinear
(NL) microwave properties of operating thin-film superconducting resonators is
proposed. The approach is based on frequency and spatial singularity of Laser
Scanning Microscopy (LSM) images that can be extracted from a set of 2-D
patterns representing x-y distribution of the LSM photoresponse, PR(x, y), at
fixed third-order intermodulation (IMD) frequencies 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 as a
result of two-tone resonator microwave excitation at equidistant frequencies f1
and f2 relative to the fundamental resonance, f0. It was shown by us earlier
that the total LSM PR(x, y) originates from two independent (resistive, PRR(x,
y), and inductive, PRX(x, y)) contributions which can be extracted directly
from the LSM images acquired at f1 and f2 by using a method of
spatially-resolved complex impedance partition [1]. Here, we show that
practically the same manipulation of LSM images at 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1 can be
used to present NL components of IMD LSM PR(x, y) in terms of its independent
spatial variations of (i) inductive IMD_IND(x, y) and (ii) resistive IMD_RES(x,
y) contributions reflecting the origin of the local sources of microwave NL.
[1] A.P. Zhuravel, S.M. Anlage, and A.V. Ustinov, Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 88,
p. 212503, 2006.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, submitted to the Seventh International Kharkov
Symposium (MSMW'10) Proceeding
Imaging of Microscopic Sources of Resistive and Reactive Nonlinearities in Superconducting Microwave Devices
The technique of low-temperature Laser Scanning Microscopy (LSM) has been
applied to the investigation of local microwave properties in operating
YBa2Cu3O7/LaAlO3 thin-film resonators patterned into a meandering strip
transmission line. By using a modified newly developed procedure of
spatially-resolved complex impedance partition, the influence of inhomogeneous
current flow on the formation of nonlinear (NL) microwave response in such
planar devices is analyzed in terms of the independent impact from resistive
and inductive components. The modified procedure developed here is dramatically
faster than our previous method. The LSM capability to probe the spatial
variations of two-tone, third-order intermodulation currents on micron length
scales is used to find the 2D distribution of the local sources of microwave
NL. The results show that the dominant sources of microwave NL are strongly
localized in the resistive domains.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, 2-column format,submitted for the 2006 Applied
Superconductivity Conferenc
Imaging Local Sources of Intermodulation in Superconducting Microwave Devices
This work presents new experimental results on low-temperature (LT)
characterization of local rf properties of passive superconducting (SC)
microwave devices using a novel Laser Scanning Microscope (LSM). In this
technique, a modulated laser beam is focused onto and scanned over the surface
of a resonant SC device to probe the spatial distribution of rf current. The
highly localized photo-induced change of the kinetic inductance of the SC
device produces both a shift of the resonant frequency f_0 and change of the
quality factor Q. An image of these changes is recorded as the laser spot is
scanned over the device. We present the first measurements of spatially
resolved intermodulation response in a High Temperature Superconducting (HTS)
co-planar waveguide resonator, opening up a new window into the local origins
of nonlinearity in the HTS materials.Comment: 4 Pages, to be published in IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond., June 200
Spatial correlation of linear and nonlinear electron transport in superconducting microwave resonator: laser scanning microscopy analysis
Spatially-resolved techniques of laser scanning microscopy (LSM) have been
used to image simultaneously the spatial variations of (i) rf current flow,
J(x,y), of (ii) areas of resistive dissipation and (iii) the sources of
microwave nonlinearity (NL) in an operating superconducting resonator. The RF
power dependent spatial evolution of these linear and NL microwave properties
in the meander strip YBCO/LAO superconducting resonator have been LSM probed at
different temperatures below Tc. The influence of both topologies of the
twin-domain YBCO structure and of J(x,y) peaks at the edges of
superconducting strip line on its NL properties was analyzed in detail with a
micron-scale spatial resolution. Result shows the resistive origin of the
dominant sources of microwave NLsComment: 3 pages, 3 figures, submitted to MSMW-07 Symposium Proceeding
Unconventional rf photoresponse from a superconducting spiral resonator
Superconducting thin film resonators employing strip geometries show great
promise in rf/microwave applications due to their low loss and compact nature.
However, their functionality is limited by nonlinear effects at elevated
rf/microwave powers. Here, we show that by using a planar spiral geometry
carrying parallel currents in adjacent turns, this limitation can be minimized.
We investigate the rf current distributions in spiral resonators implemented
with Nb thin films via laser scanning microscopy. The rf current density
profile along the width of the individual turns of the resonators reveals an
unconventional trend: maximum current in the middle of the structure and
decaying toward its edges. This unusual behavior is associated with the
circular nature of the geometry and the cancellation of magnetic field between
the turns, which is favorable for handling high powers since it allows the
linear characteristics to persist at high rf current densities.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Effect of LaAlO Surface Topography on RF Current Distribution in Superconducting Microwave Devices
A laser scanning microscope with a thermal spot size of about 4 m is
used to measure a quantity proportional to the rf current density in an
operating superconducting co-planar waveguide microwave resonator. The twinning
of the LaAlO substrate produces a meandering of the current at the edges
due to irregularities in the wet etching of the YBaCuO
film associated with substrate twin domain blocks, and a ( 20%)
enhancement of the rf photoresponse at these locations. These irregularities
are candidates for enhanced nonlinear response from the device. The effects of
substrate twinning and the resulting edge features on the superconducting film
are discussed and analyzed.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letter
Microscopic examination of hot spots giving rise to nonlinearity in superconducting resonators
We investigate the microscopic origins of nonlinear rf response in
superconducting electromagnetic resonators. Strong nonlinearity appearing in
the transmission spectra at high input powers manifests itself through the
emergence of jumplike features near the resonant frequency that evolve toward
lower quality factor with higher insertion loss as the rf input power is
increased. We directly relate these characteristics to the dynamics of
localized normal regions (hot spots) caused by microscopic features in the
superconducting material making up the resonator. A clear observation of
hot-spot formation inside a Nb thin film self-resonant structure is presented
by employing the microwave laser scanning microscope, and a direct link between
microscopic and macroscopic manifestations of nonlinearity is established.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
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