The Heterodyne Spectrometer Instrument (HSI) is one of two instruments designed for the Far-IR Spectroscopy Space Telescope (FIRSST) recently proposed to NASA in response to the Astrophysics Probe Explorer call. HSI will be the first THz cryogenic heterodyne array receiver implemented for a space mission. It has extremely high spectral resolving power (R>10^6) in order to allow detailed spectral observations. HSI covers a very wide bandwidth range between 150 and 600 microns in only 3 bands, each equipped with two 5-pixel arrays. HSI enables highly sensitive dual-polarization, multi-pixel and multi-frequency observations on a space telescope, by a careful design and by employing low-heat dissipating, low-power, but high TRL components.
The Submillimetre-Wave Instrument (SWI) is a passive microwave spectrometer of JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), a large-class mission of ESA's Cosmic Vision. It consists of two 600 GHz and 1200 GHz dual channel radiometers that involve compact, non-cryogenic Schottky diodes based solid-state devices for the mixer and last stage local oscillator frequency multipliers that are passively cooled to 150K. In this paper we will present the exhaustive qualification and endurance testing of the 300 GHz doubler element, standing at the interface between the warm (300K) and cold (150K) electronic front-end for both 600GHz and 1200 GHz channels. We present its associated extensive set of screening and lot acceptance testing as a part of the delivery of the final MMIC subcomponents integrated in the flight and flight spare models including the test structures used, the tests conditions as well as the failure criteria (PDA, allowable drifts).
Planetary atmospheres are rich in molecular species with spectral rotational and vibrational signatures in the millimeter and submillimeter frequency range. In particular, the 520-680 GHz frequency ranges offers access to a various amount of minor and major constituents of the atmosphere, including water vapour (H2O), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), carbon monosulfide (CS) and their isotopes to derive temperature and wind velocities [1] or surface emissivity [2]. Recently, we have developed and manufactured the 560 GHz subharmonic mixer, showing the excellent performances in the 525-625 GHz frequency region with mixer noise temperature of about 870 K, around 30hf/kB [3]. In this paper we present an update and extensive measurement showing that the mixer’s RF bandwidth can be extended up to 25% keeping the excellent performances. Assessment study of the radiometer modelling and Schottky junction parameter deviations will be presented. A best fit of the junction I/V allows to derive the main diode DC parameters retrofitted to analytical models such as [4]. We discuss efforts on implementation of large bandwidth receiver system, including solutions for local power across large bandwidth [5] or in complex systems using simultaneous molecular line observations [6].
Obtaining temperature, pressure, and composition profiles along with wind velocities in the Earth’s
thermosphere/ionosphere system is a key NASA goal for understanding our planet. We report on the status of a
technology development effort to build an all-solid-state heterodyne receiver at 2.06 THz that will allow the
measurement of the 2.06 THz [OI] line for altitudes greater than 100 km. The receiver front end features low-parasitic
Schottky diode mixer chips that are driven by a local oscillator (LO) source using Schottky diode based multipliers. The
multiplier chain consists of a 38 GHz oscillator followed by a set of three cascaded triplers at 114 GHz, 343 GHz and
1.03 THz.
We report upon the development of a 190 GHz MMIC frequency doubler and 380 GHz sub-harmonic mixer using
foundry planar Schottky diodes. The devices have been fabricated by the company UMS using their BES process, and
post-processed afterwards to transfer the GaAs circuit membranes onto a quartz substrate. This novel substrate transfer
technique is presented. Preliminary measurements give a doubler output power over 3 mW in the frequency range 170-205 GHz.
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