Upload
others
View
8
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Heterodyne Receivers and Heterodyne Receivers and ArraysArrays
Gopal [email protected]
Types of Detectors
● Incoherent Detection – Bolometers➔ Total Power Detection➔ No phase information – used primarily on single-dish
antennas● Coherent Detection – Heterodyne Receivers
➔ Frequency Conversion➔ Total Power Detection➔ Spectral Information Preserved➔ Phase Information preserved – used in interferometers
and single-dish telescopes
Modes – Electromagnetic DefinitionModes – Electromagnetic Definition
● Propagating Spatial Distribution of Energy in a transmission line or free space
● Does not change its spatial distribution as it travels➔ Free Space : Simple transverse expansion, but maintains
same shape➔ Bounded Transmission Line : Does not change at all except
for getting weaker● Electric and Magnetic Fields in a single mode oscillate
sinusoidally with time and position according to frequency and wavelength
Examples
● Free-space – Gaussian Modes● Bounded Media – Waveguides
➔ Above cutoff frequency, fC
propagating modes➔ < f
C
evanescent modes
Rectangular WaveguidesRectangular Waveguides
“Full-height” Rectangular waveguide =>
b=a2
Single Mode for: /2 < a < λ λ
λC = 2a Cutoff Wavelength
For example, let a = 2.54 mm (0.1 inches)λ
C = 2a = 5.08 mm => f
C = 59 GHz
λ = a = 2.54 mm => fU = 118 GHz
Single-mode waveguide for 59 < f < 118 GHz (good for 3mm wavelength band)For f < 59 GHz, waveguide's modes are evanescentFor f > 118 GHz, waveguide has more than one mode!
Waveguide – Lowest Loss (bounded) transmission line
At 100 GHz, waveguide loss ~ 5 dB/m
For f < 26 GHz, waveguide size becomes too large
Use coax instead.
CoaxAt 10 GHz, coax loss ~ 2 db/m
Feed HornsFeed Horns
Feed horns: Transition from waveguide to free-space modes. Couples to telescope
Conical Corrugated Conical
PyramidalCorrugated Horns Vs Smooth Horns:
● Beam Pattern Symmetry● Low Cross-Pol
Electric/Magnetic fields in aperture of smooth horn
In corrugated horns, boundary conditions different at horn walls
DefinitionsDefinitions
● Waveguide : Hollow metal pipe in which signal propagates by multiple reflections from walls. Wave propagates in a particular energy distribution called mode
● RF (Radio Frequency) Amplifier : Device to increase signal power, placed at input of receiver. For f>50 GHz, RF amplifiers have waveguide inputs
● Mixer : Circuit that combines RF signal (small signal) with a local oscillator (LO) (large signal) and produces an output at lower frequency (IF).
● LO : Large monochromatic signal (Large voltage swing causes mixer to become non-linear)
● IF Amplifier : Amplifier that follows mixer. Less expensive. Most of the gain in a typical radio astronomical system
● Spectrometer : Device that splits up the IF band into its frequency components, i.e. Spectrum
NoiseNoise
● All parts of receiver contribute noise➔ Passive (transmission lines, etc.)➔ Active (Mixers, Amplifiers, etc.)
● Millimeter & Submillimeter wavelengths – Usual to characterize noise of devices by Noise Temperature
● Even applied to noise sources that are not entirely thermal in origin
BB at 0 K
Device Noise Temperature
= TN BB at
TN K
Noiseless DeviceEquivalent
TN
DeviceA noisy device acts as if its input is connected to a (virtual) blackbody at a temperature which is the same as the noise temperature of the device – usually shown as in the right figure.
TN
Measuring Noise TemperatureMeasuring Noise Temperature
TIN
POUT
∝ TIN + T
N
Y-Factor Method
Y=Phot
Pcold
=ThotTN
TcoldTN
TN=Thot−YTcold
Y−1
Prop hides Gain (G), frequency bw, etc.
For example, measure with input Bbs at 290 K (room temperature) and 77 K (LN
2), say Y = 2
=> TN = 136 K
At mm and submm wavelengths, blackbodies are available (eccosorb)
Advantages of Y-factor method:● Requires no knowledge of G and BW● Only linear detectors required● Fast and reasonably accurate
Quantum Limit for TQuantum Limit for TNN
Coherent Receiver – both amplitude and phase detected
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle!
TQ=hk
≃5K
100GHz
Rayleigh Jean's Limit, P = kBTB,
where B – Bandwidth, TB is equivalent blackbody at input
IF Power at output of Receivers:
PIF = GBk(T
R + T
B)
where,
G – Gain of receiver
TR – Equivalent Receiver Noise temperature
TB – Equivalent BB temperature at input to receiver
Types of ReceiversTypes of Receivers
1) f < 200 GHzeg. SEQUOIA
2) f > 200 GHz
Schottky or SIS
3) Bolometer Receivers
Entire Receiver SystemEntire Receiver System
Some Examples: SEQUOIASome Examples: SEQUOIA
World's fastest imaging heterodyne array at 3mm wavelength
● Cryogenic Focal Plane array operating at frequencies of 85 – 115.6 GHz
● 32 pixels in dual-polarized 4 x 4 array. Two dewars with 16 pixels each combined with wire grid
● Uses InP pre-amplifiers with 35-40 dB gain
● Two backend spectrometers per pixel, can be independently tuned within 15 GHz
● Used at the Quabbin 14m telescope as a workhorse instrument for 6 years, will be moved to LMT, once LMT is ready
Redshift Search Receiver for the LMT
Next Lecture
A 1mm SIS Receiver for the LMTA 1mm SIS Receiver for the LMT
Receiver in the LabNoise temperature
Measurements
Single Pixel 1mm SIS Receiver (dual polarization, sideband separation receiver with IF BW of 4-12 GHz) that will commission the 1mm band at LMT
Principle of Down-conversionPrinciple of Down-conversion
IF=∣LO−RF∣
SSB Receiver: Single Sideband
● Only one sideband makes it through the receiver. Other (image) sideband rejection (either quasi-optically or at mixer)
DSB Receiver: Both Sidebands are superimposed on each other at IF output
Sideband Separation Receiver: Both sidebands converted to different IF outputs
Mixer – Classical TreatmentMixer – Classical Treatment
Basically, mixers can be thought of as switches
Bsin(RF
t)Asin(sin(
LOt)Bsin(
RFt)
Asin(LO
t)Recall the trigonometric identity:
sinsin=cos −−cos
2 IF=∣LO−RF∣
● Any arbitrary signal can be decomposed to sines by Fourier analysis
● If RF is small-signal, and LO is large signal (usual case), |LO-RF| terms dominate
● Various filters usually kept at the IF side of mixer to eliminate unwanted terms
SSB or DSB?SSB or DSB?
SSB
● Lower Spectral Confusion● Lower system noise temperature within a given
sideband – terminate unwanted SB in a cold load
DSB
● Twice as much spectral data, if care is taken● Twice as much continuum power● Receiver has fewer components – less complexity
Sideband Separation
● Best of both worlds! More recent heterodyne receivers use Sideband separation
Noise Temperature BudgetNoise Temperature Budget
LIN
TIN
TM
TIF
LM
GIF
Optics Mixer IF Chain
T POUT
POUT
= GIF(T
IF + (1/L
M)(T
M + (T
IN+ T)/L
IN))
Receiver Noise Temperature, TR = T
IN + L
INT
M + L
INL
MT
IF
For low noise receiver:
● TIN ⇊ Low emissivity optics
● LIN ⇊ Low loss optics
● TM ⇊ Low Noise mixer
● LM ⇊ Low conversion loss
● TIF ⇊ Low IF Noise Temperature
Types of MixersTypes of Mixers
Name of the Game – Nonlinear I-V Curves!
1. Schottky Diode Mixers
I∝eV−1
where=
ekT
As T↓ α ↑ => more non-linearity
● Schottky no longer competitive with SIS for f < 800 GHz
● Room temperature mixing possible with Schottky receivers. Used in remote sensing and satellites (like SWAS)
2. SIS Mixers2. SIS Mixers
Superconductor – Insulator – SuperconductorPhysical Temperature < T
N typically < 4K
I∝eV
Here, α is very large! Lowest noise between 50 – 1000 GHz
Photon assisted Tunneling
For Nb SIS junctions, 2∆/e = 3mV => Bandgap cutoff frequency given by eV/h = 730 GHz
Superconductor TheorySuperconductor Theory
BCS (1957) – Bardeen, Cooper and Schreifer Theory of Superconductors
Electrons in normal conductor – repel
Electrons in superconductor – Cooper pair
● Cooper pairs – act as single boson. All Cooper pairs are in single quantum state (do not obey Pauli exclusion principle) at 0 V bias! Noisy tunneling process at 0 V. Needs to be suppressed by applying a magnetic field that breaks these Cooper pairs.
● Conventional Electron Tunneling - referred to as quasi-particle tunneling
SIS Junction GeometrySIS Junction Geometry
With LO power
Without LO power
IF Power
cf. CSO Tuning
3. Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB)3. Hot Electron Bolometer (HEB)
Normal NormalSuperconductingSuperconducting
Superconducting Normal
Resistive
● HEB – Newer technology● Can be used between 100
GHz – 100 THz!● IF BW depends on thermal
time constant, τo
● Lower τo => Higher IF BW
● Response time and BW are dependent on how quickly hot electrons are moved out of superconductor!
● Two types of HEBs – Phonon cooled HEBs (pHEB) – thin and long, and diffusion cooled HEBs (dHEBs) - thick and short
Diffusion-cooled HEB vs Phonon Diffusion-cooled HEB vs Phonon Cooled HEBCooled HEB
State of Art in Heterodyne State of Art in Heterodyne Receiver Noise TemperatureReceiver Noise Temperature
Zmuidzinas 2002
IF AmplifiersIF Amplifiers
● Amplify down-converted signal from mixer
● Since mixers have conversion loss, fairly important to have low IF noise temperature
● Highest possible gain (to isolate from noise of subsequent stages)
● Cryogenically cooled => low power dissipation requirement
● Well-matched to mixer
● GaAs and InP transistors are used
● High total power stability
● MMICs (Monolithic Microwave ICs) often used
Local OscillatorsLocal Oscillators
● Needed for frequency conversion● Required power levels varies a few μW to 100s of μW
for arrays● Narrow linewidth, low amplitude and phase noise, phase
locking● Frequency agile to cover large RF bandwidths
Technologies
● Solid state oscillators (eg. Gunn) + freq multipliers (made of diode chains)
● Photonics LO (new technology)
● Quantum Cascade Lasers (developing)
Array ReceiversArray ReceiversWhy heterodyne array receivers?
● Single pixel SIS receivers are approaching quantum limit (esp. at lower frequencies). Remaining limit is atmospheric
● Mapping Speed substantially increased with arrays● N fold increase in time for an N-element array, also
telescope motion is reduced● Best use of good weather conditions● Mapping consistency – reduced systematic effects due to
pointing offsets, relative calibration
Cons & Challenges
● Complicated● Expensive● Tight packing● Cryogenic cooling capacity● Delivery of LO Power
Sideband Separation MixersSideband Separation Mixers
● Single Sideband Mixers reject noise in image sideband – more sensitive!
● Sideband Separation Mixers more desirable – more spectral coverage with no cost in sensitivity
● Waveguide-based sideband separation scheme less bulky, and allows integration compared to quasi-optical methods
OMAR OverviewOMAR Overview
● 1mm Array Receiver for LMT
● Dual-polarized 16-pixel array
● RF Bandwidth 200 – 280 GHz
● USB & LSB both available simultaneously 4 – 12 GHz IF Band
● Novel Integrated Mixer-Preamplifier Block Eases Integration
Focal-Plane Array AssemblyFocal-Plane Array Assembly
300K horn section
40K horn section 4K horn section
MPA (Mixer Pre-amplifier Blocks)
LO Splitter Tree
IF Outputs
G10 ThermalBreak
Magnet Assembly
UMass SIS Lab Test StationUMass SIS Lab Test Station
Sumitomo SRDK 415DE closed-cycle 4K test-system
Single-ended SIS mixer-receiver
in test dewar