Excitonic detectors of infrared and submillimeter radiation

Journal of Infrared, Millimeter, and Terahertz Waves - The theory of new type detectors based on the “quenching” of secondary emission in direct-gap semiconductors (lines of Raman light...     

Heterodyne measurements of submillimeter laser spectrometer frequencies

The frequencies of 46 CW laser lines commonly used for submillimeter spectroscopy, with wavelengths between 0.1 and 0.7 mm, have been measured by heterodyne methods. All the fines are optically pumped by a CO2laser, with threshold pump powers of 3 W or less. The precision of measurement, limited by the laser linewidth, is typically ± 1 part per million.     

Telescope illumination and beam measurements for submillimeter astronomy

Submillimeter receivers which operate in the highest frequency atmospheric windows must still be mounted on large infrared and optical telescopes. Finding the optimum submillimeter wave illumination for these large telescopes is simplified by their effectively perfect optical surfaces and long focal lengths, but is complicated by telescope optics which have been optimized for non-tapered beams. In order to determine the effects of changing illumination edge taper, we calculated idealized aperture and beam efficiencies for telescopes which are used for submillimeter astronomical observations. The optimum illumination edge taper for the large infrared telescopes is near 10 dB, somewhat less than for classical radio telescopes, and is not very critical as long as it is between 10 and 13 dB. We also present an accurate method for measuring the sizes of, and deviations from, Gaussian beam pattern distributions by using astronomical sources which have sizes comparable with the beam.     

Computer generated phase holograms (kinoforms) for millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

Computer generated Fourier transform phase holograms, known as kinoforms, have been synthesized, manufactured and their performance evaluated at a wavelength of 3 mm (100 GHz). The kinoforms were synthesized to give a prescribed far-field intensity distribution and manufactured by milling the computed kinoform surface relief into a Teflon plate, using a numerically controlled milling machine. The measured diffraction efficiencies exceed 50 percent. Millimeter-wave kinoforms can be used in various quasi-optical applications,e.g. distributing a local oscillator signal to an array of detector elements in heterodyne receivers.     

Focussing of submillimeter radiation guided by a dielectric sheet

Guided submillimeter radiation (λ=118.8 μm) has been focussed by inserting a cylinder lens into the freely propagating beam in front of the incoupling prism. The beam profile at the focal spot has been determined experimentally, the results agree with theoretical predictions. The optical quality of the focus is good.     

A bulk semiconductor imaging device for millimeter and submillimeter radiation

A device is described whereby millimeter or submillimeter wave images obtained from reflecting targets can be converted to visible displays providing a cathode ray tube presentation. The principle of the technique is based on the fact that transmitted power at these wavelengths can be modulated by a semiconductor panel in which the bulk conductivity is changed by electronic means. Experimental data is reported.     

2-D VCSEL model for investigation of dynamic fiber coupling and spatially filtered noise

We propose a set of transformed two-dimensional (2-D) rate equations, which allow the computation of dynamic gain competition resulting from inhomogeneous field and carrier spatial distributions inside a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser cavity. Any explicit spatial dependency has been removed from the modified equations, reducing the computational time by several orders of magnitude. Resulting 2-D dynamic intensity profiles allow investigating effects related to improper fiber coupling due to transverse misalignment between laser beam and fiber. Although the expected increased relative intensity noise (RIN) levels associated with mode partition noise are observed, other effects might have larger contributions to the total noise under specific conditions. We show that the minimum RIN level is not necessarily reached for zero misalignment, but at positions where modes with broad far-field profiles and low power experience important filtering.     

Millimeter and submillimeter wave measurements of complex optical and dielectric parameters of materials

These low loss materials were chosen for the first in this series of measurements of the complex parameters over the entire millimeter and submillimeter wavelength range of the spectrum. A modular, polarizing, dispersive Fourier transform spectrometer capable of operating over the range 5 mm to 0.004 mm was used to provide a continuous spectrum of the refractive index and absorption coefficient to an accuracy of five decimal places and less than 1 percent, respectively.     

Millimeter and submillimeter wave measurements of complex optical and dielectric parameters of materials

These two promising millimeter wave materials were found to exhibit one order of magnitude higher absorption coefficient than the common low-loss ceramics such as alumina, fused silica and beryllia. A modular, polarizing, dispersive Fourier transform spectrometer capable of operating over the range 5 mm to 0.004 mm was used to provide a continuous spectrum of the refractive index and absorption coefficient to an accuracy of five decimal places and less than 1 percent, respectively.     

Millimeter and submillimeter wave measurements of complex optical and dielectric parameters of materials

These coolant materials were chosen for the first in this series of measrements of the complex parameters of liquids over the entire millimeter and submillimeter wavelength range of the spectrum. The fluorocarbon coolants not reported here exhibit an order of magnitude lower loss. It is the characteristic of these liquids that the absorption coefficient increases monotonically with frequency.     

Josephson-type superconducting tunnel junctions as generators of microwave and submillimeter wave radiation

The use of Josephson-type superconducting tunnel junctions (two superconductors separated by a very thin insulating layer) as generators of radiation in the range 5 GHz to 1000 GHz is discussed. To this end, the results of recent experiments on the observation of X-band radiation from such junctions are presented, along with a complete discussion of the theory of such junctions. Their potential use as detectors, voltage sources, and harmonic multipliers is also discussed.     

Method for radar cross section measurements in millimeter and submillimeter wave regions

We present a new method for electromagnetic modeling radar scattering processes. In this method we use a quasi-optical waveguide of the type of "hollow dielectric waveguide" as a fundamental component of radar cross section (RCS) instrumentation systems. Such waveguide structure produces required target-illuminating quasiplane wave and suppresses unwanted waves as well as transmits the legitimate signal from test object, mounted inside this waveguide, to the reception zone. Presented method is especially effective one in millimeter and submillimeter wave regions, in particular, for investigation RCS of targets with small reflectivity.     

Generation of sum-frequency sideband using 964 GHz HCN laser and 70 GHz klystron radiation

Continuosly tunable submillimeter radiation above 1 THz has been generated by sum-frequency mixing of HCN laser radiation (second strongest transition at 964.3 GHz) with that of klystron (70 GHz) in the Schottky barrier diode used as the non-linear element. Generated radiation was sufficiently strong to allow the high resolution frequency measurement of 9_9,1 ← 8_8,0 transition in³²S¹⁶O.     

An improved multimode horn for Gaussian mode generation at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths

An improvement on the dual-mode horn for Gaussian mode generation has been developed. Previous designs have used a sudden transition or linear taper to generate the required TE/sub 11/ and TM/sub 11/ mode mixture. In the improved design presented here, an optimized nonlinear taper is used to generate multimodes, which have a fundamental Gaussian mode power fraction of 99% that exceeds that of the corrugated horn (98%). The bandwidth and return loss are both improved over other dual-mode horn designs.     

Performance of nonlinear detectors in spatial multiplexing for spatially correlated channels

Spatial multiplexing is used in multiple input multiple output (MIMO) wireless systems to increase the data rate. Some nonlinear detectors, such as minimum mean square error (MMSE) Vertical Bell laboratories layered space-time (VBLAST), Maximum A-Posteriori (MMSE VBLAST MAP), and MMSE Improved VBLAST detectors are used in place of a over more complex detector, such as maximum likelihood detector or singular value decomposition based detector. We have presented simulation results of MIMO symbol error rate versus average SNR for MMSE VBLAST MAP and MMSE Improved VBLAST schemes assuming spatially correlated channels for M-ary QAM. We have observed that the performance of MMSE VBLAST MAP and MMSE Improved VBLAST detectors is almost identical in spatially uncorrelated channels. However, in the case of spatially correlated channels, MMSE Improved VBLAST outperforms MMSE VBLAST MAP. We have also seen that complexity of the Improved VBLAST algorithm is higher than the complexity of VBLAST MAP algorithm.     

Development and applications of frequency tunable,submillimeter wave gyrotrons

The development of single-frequency, high-power gyrotrons for the fusion community has always had a high profile. However, tunable, low-power gyrotrons are well suited as sources for plasma diagnostics and the spectroscopic study of materials. This paper reviews the work at the University of Sydney in Australia and Fukui University in Japan.     

Distortion and crosstalk of linearly filtered, angle-modulated signals

An important problem in the theory and practice of receiving angle-modulated signals is the design of the filtering elements which must be employed. It has long been known that filtering introduces distortion and crosstalk into the signal. However, the computation of these effects is difficult. The methods customarily used employ approximations of one kind or another, and the equations used do not apply to all cases of practical interest. Here formulas are presented which enlarge somewhat the domain of cases amenable to calculation. In this analysis, an angle-modulated signal having an arbitrary phase function is applied to a general linear filter, and the phase of the output is expanded in a series having the linearly filtered input as the leading term. The expansion is then specialized to the case of a narrowband signal applied to a narrow, symmetrical, bandpass filter. A spectral analysis is performed by assuming a Gaussian input phase and examining terms through fifth order in the output phase expansion. This leads to the main results of the paper, namely expressions for the leading terms in the output spectrum. It is argued that these terms represent the principal contribution in the case where the distortion is small. To demonstrate their application to a practical problem, the formulas are used to calculate the distortion and crosstalk produced when an FM signal, having a flat baseband spectrum, is passed through a single-pole filter. This example is of some current interest because such a filter has been employed in the forward path of a feedback FM receiver used for satellite communication. A number of cases are considered, and the results of the computations are plotted.     

Antenna impedance measurements and sheath effects in an RF generated plasma

A device using an RF discharge quasi-homogeneous plasma to measure antenna impedance is described. The plasma diagnosis is done by using a new probe made of a transparent resonant cavity. The electron densities (2 times 10^{8}to6 times 10^{9}particles/cm³) and collision frequencies (6 times 10^{7}to1.5 times 10^{8}per second) are controlled by the discharge power. The density distribution measurements indicate a quasi-homogeneous region of 20 by 20 by 14 cm. Impedance measurement results are given for a a thick unipole between 100 and 750 MHz. The values ofX = (omega_{p}/omega)^{2}range from 0 to 44. They agree fairly well with Deschamps model theory applied to scaled frequency measurements as well as to a quasistatic simple analytical formula. Sheath effects enhanced by a dc bias are observed especially at low frequencies and the sheath thickness increase is calculated and found consistent with Pavkovich's parabolic potential assumption. The possibility of electronic tuning by a suitable bias is suggested.