Subterahertz Superconducting Oscillators Based on Arrays of Josephson Junction
摘要
For most practical applications of superconducting oscillators, it is necessary to implement terahertz generation with the frequency tuning over a wide range and a narrow radiation line in a single device. Until now, this has been achieved only for systems based on distributed Josephson junctions. We give a brief overview of the main achievements in the field of creating superconducting integrated oscillators and present the results of developing a new type of oscillators based on arrays of Josephson junctions included in a superconducting coplanar line. The implementation of a new type of Josephson junctions has provided the possibility of developing an oscillator with operating frequencies of up to 700 GHz, which are limited only by the energy gap of niobium. The use of a superconducting harmonic mixer based on a superconductor–insulator–superconductor tunnel junction made it possible not only to determine the operating frequency range of the oscillator and estimate its power, but also to measure the radiation linewidth of a superconducting oscillator at frequencies of up to 700 GHz in the frequency-stabilization mode and to implement the phase-locked loop mode. The possibility of developing terahertz-superconducting oscillators for integrated receiving systems of ground-based and space radio-telescopes is discussed.