Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy

Results

SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator. — SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator.

SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator.

SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator. — SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator.

SIS mixer IV curves and total power counts with a hot (300 K) and cold (77 K) load using the RT operated photonic and a cryogenically operated solid state local oscillator.

We have successfully pumped an astronomical SIS heterodyne receiver in the 1 THz range with room temperature operated photomixers:

Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution). — Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution).

Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution).

Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution). — Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution).

Optical beat signal of a phase-locked laser (red trace, 10 MHz span, 1 second sweep time, 100 kHz resolution). 1.05 THz beat signal between the phase-locked photonic LO pumping and the harmonic mixer signal in the astronomical SIS receiver (black trace, 10 MHz span, 8.37 ms sweep time, 47 kHz resolution). The insert shows the THz beat in a 5 kHz span, from which a 3 dB linewidth of 3 kHz can be derived (43.69 ms sweep time, 47 Hz resolution).

Our phase-locking scheme enables relative stabilization of our free-running lasers, yielding a line width of 3 kHz only.