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A 345GHz SIS receiver for radio astronomy

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Abstract

A 345GHz superconductor insulator superconductor (SIS) tunnel junction receiver utilizing a full height rectangular waveguide mixer with two tuning elements, i.e. an E-plane and backshort tuner, has been constructed and installed on the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory 10m antenna on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The receiver exhibits a best double side-band noise temperature response of 150K±20K (averaged over a 500 MHz IF bandwidth centered at 1.5GHz) at a design center frequency of 345GHz and at an ambient temperature of approximately 3.8K. Additional measurements show that the receiver has an excellent response at selected points within an RF input range of 280 to 363GHz.

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Ellison, B.N., Schaffer, P.L., Schaal, W. et al. A 345GHz SIS receiver for radio astronomy. Int J Infrared Milli Waves 10, 937–947 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01010390

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01010390

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