Wideband paramps for the millimeter and submillimeter bands

摘要

The traveling-wave kinetic inductance parametric (TKIP) amplifier is a new amplifier technology capable of near quantum-limited sensitivity over a wide instantaneous bandwidth. Microwave frequency versions of these amplifiers, which are based on four-wave mixing in an NbTiN coplanar waveguide transmission line, have demonstrated high gain and noise corresponding to a few photons at several GHz. Their simple design is easily scalable to higher frequency, allowing for operation up to near the (> 1 THz) gap frequency of NbTiN. We will discuss the current state of the art of the TKIP operating at microwave frequencies and the potential use of these amplifiers as front ends for receivers in the millimeter and submillimeter bands. As an example, we describe the design of a TKIP tuned for the W-band.