Large Gain, Negative Resistance, and Oscillations in Superconducting Quasiparticle Heterodyne Mixers

摘要

We have measured the properties of a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) quasiparticle mixer which is operated in the quantum limit. Single sideband conversion gain larger than +4 dB was observed at 36 GHz with a mixer noise temperature T=9 + or - 6K, which is to be compared with the (Planck) quantum limit h-bar omega/(kln2) approx. 2.5K. Complete 3-port mixer calculations are presented which are in good agreement with the gain measurements. Negative resistance was observed which implies that arbitrarily large gain is available.