Length scaling of bandwidth and noise in hot-electron superconducting mixers

Mixing experiments have been performed at frequencies from 4 to 20 GHz on Nb thin-film superconducting hot-electron bolometers varying in length from 0.08 to 3 μm. The intermediate frequency (IF) bandwidth is found to vary as L−2, with L the bridge length, for devices shorter than √12 Le−ph≊1 μm, with Le−ph the electron-phonon length. The shortest device has an IF bandwidth greater than 6 GHz, the largest reported for a low-Tc superconducting bolometric mixer. The conversion efficiencies range from −5 to −11 dB (single sideband, SSB). For short bridges, the mixer noise temperature is found to be as low as 100 K (double sideband, DSB), with little length dependence. The local oscillator power required is small, ≊10 nW. Such mixers are very promising for low-noise THz heterodyne receivers.