Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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TT: Fachverband Tiefe Temperaturen

TT 19: Symposium “Terahertz Detectors”

TT 19.4: Talk

Wednesday, March 28, 2007, 15:50–16:20, H20

SIS and HEB Devices for THz Frequency Mixer Applications — •Karl-Friedrich Schuster — IRAM, 300 Rue de la Piscine, 38406 St Martin d'Heres, France

Heterodyne mixers using superconducting tunnel (SIS) junctions or hot electron bolometers (HEB) are among the most successfully used superconducting devices and play a key role in ongoing and future projects for space and ground based astronomy in the THz range. Introduced already 20 years ago SIS junctions for frequency mixing still undergo important developments which prepare the ground for optimized device performance and functionality. While SIS mixers are used in the domain up to 1 THz, mixers using hot electron bolometers are particularly well suited for the higher THz range. I will present a short overview on the current development goals for both mixer device types and then discuss the technological challenges within the fabrication process and the underlying physical questions.