A Concept-proof Study of Multibeam Heterodyne Receiver Frontends for Next Generation Radio Telescopes

• Project/Area Number: 18K03708
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 16010:Astronomy-related
• Research Institution: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan
• Principal Investigator: Shan Wenlei 国立天文台, 先端技術センター, 准教授 (60792570)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 江崎 翔平 国立天文台, 先端技術センター, 研究技師 (40794508)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥990,000); Fiscal Year 2020: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000)
• Keywords: multibeam receiver / radio astronomy / SIS mixer / HPI / MMIC / Focal plane array / Radio astronomy / Planar OMT / focal plane array / PE-CVD / planar OMT / Multibeam SIS Receiver / Integrated Circuit / Membrane / Multibeam

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aims to make essential breakthroughs in the techniques of constructing large-format and compact superconducting multi-beam receiver frontends. The major achievements are as follows. (1) An innovative approach, hybrid planar integration (HPI), has been proposed and developed. This approach has two components. One is silicon-based superconducting monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) fabrication technique; The other is silicon membrane-based waveguide probes and associated two-dimensional metal waveguide LO distributing network. (2) A single-pixel proof-of-concept receiver based on HPI approach has been developed at 125-164 GHz frequency band. The measurement results approach state-of-the-art performance;(3) A 2 x 2 compact array receiver has been developed at the same frequency band by implementing HPI approach. This array achieved the unprecedent compactness and demonstrated even LO distribution and unaffected single-pixel performance.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在の電波望遠鏡の弱点の一つは、視野が狭いことである。視野の狭さは、星に進化する分子雲などの広い天体を観測する能力を著しく低下させる。このような天体を撮影するためには、望遠鏡のビームをスキャンするために莫大な観測時間を費やさなければならない。この問題を解決するには、望遠鏡の焦点面に複数の検出器を持つマルチビーム受信機を使用する必要がある。しかし、電波望遠鏡用マルチビーム受信機を構築することは技術的に難しい。本研究では、この問題に取り組み、ミリ波からテラヘルツ波までの周波数範囲で動作する次世代電波望遠鏡用のマルチビーム受信機を構築するための実現可能な解決策を提案することを目的とする。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] A Compact Superconducting Heterodyne Focal Plane Array Implemented With HPI (Hybrid Planar Integration) Scheme (2020)
  • Author(s): Shan Wenlei、Ezaki Shohei、Kang Haoran、Gonzalez Alvaro、Kojima Takafumi、Uzawa Yoshinori
  • Journal Title: IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology Volume: 10 Issue: 6 Pages: 677-689
  • DOI: 10.1109/tthz.2020.3025097
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Status of the East Asia ALMA development program: Towards the implementation of the ALMA development roadmap (2020)
  • Author(s): Gonzalez Alvaro、Kojima Takafumi、Shan Wenlei、Kiuchi Hitoshi、Uzawa Yoshinori、Iono Daisuke、Kosugi George
  • Journal Title: SPIE Proceedings Volume 11453, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy X Volume: 11445 Pages: 1144538-1144538
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2561603
• [Journal Article] Fabrication of Planar Integrated SIS Mixer Circuits with Improved Uniformity and Yield (2020)
  • Author(s): Ezaki Shohei, Wenlei Shan, Uzawa Yoshinori
  • Journal Title: Journal of Low Temperature Physics Volume: 199 Issue: 1-2 Pages: 369-375
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10909-020-02433-2
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Experimental Study of a Planar-Integrated Dual-Polarization Balanced SIS Mixer (2019)
  • Author(s): Shan Wenlei, Ezaki Shohei, Kaneko Keiko, Miyachi Akihira, Kojima Takafumi, Uzawa Yoshinori
  • Journal Title: IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology Volume: 9 Issue: 6 Pages: 549-556
  • DOI: 10.1109/tthz.2019.2936995
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Fabrication of Superconductor Integrated Circuits of D-Band Dual-Polarization Balanced SIS Mixers (2019)
  • Author(s): Ezaki Shohei、Shan Wenlei、Asayama Shin'ichiro、Noguchi Takashi
  • Journal Title: IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity Volume: 29 Issue: 5 Pages: 1-5
  • DOI: 10.1109/tasc.2019.2902985
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Accurate Measurement of Gain Saturation of Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor Mixers with Logarithmic Power Detectors (2018)
  • Author(s): Shan Wenlei
  • Journal Title: Journal of Low Temperature Physics Volume: 193 Issue: 3-4 Pages: 402-407
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10909-018-1876-5
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A New Concept for Quasi-Planar Integration of Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor Array Receiver Front Ends (2018)
  • Author(s): Shan Wenlei、Ezaki Shohei、Liu Jie、Asayama Shinichiro、Noguchi Takashi
  • Journal Title: IEEE Transactions on Terahertz Science and Technology Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Pages: 472-474
  • DOI: 10.1109/tthz.2018.2842750
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Fabrication and Characterization of Silicon (100) Membranes for a Multi-beam Superconducting Heterodyne Receiver (2018)
  • Author(s): Ezaki Shohei、Shan Wenlei、Kojima Takafumi、Gonzalez Alvaro、Asayama Shin’ichiro、Noguchi Takashi
  • Journal Title: Journal of Low Temperature Physics Volume: 193 Issue: 5-6 Pages: 720-725
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10909-018-2004-2
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Planar superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixer array receivers for wide field of view astronomical observation (2018)
  • Author(s): Shan Wenlei、Ezaki Shohei、Liu Jie、Asayama Shin'ichiro、Iguchi Satoru、Noguchi Takashi
  • Journal Title: SPIE PROCEEDINGS Volume: 10708 Pages: 1070814-1070814
  • DOI: 10.1117/12.2311933
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Demonstration of a Millimeter-wave Multibeam Receiver Implemented with Superconducting MMICs (2021)
  • Author(s): Shan, W., Ezaki, S., Kaneko, K., Miyachi, A., Kojima, T., Uzawa, Y., Kang, H., Gonzalez, A.
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会春季年会
• [Presentation] Demonstration of a Millimeter-wave Multibeam Receiver Implemented with Superconducting MMICs (2021)
  • Author(s): Shan, W., Ezaki, S., Kaneko, K., Miyachi, A., Kojima, T., Uzawa, Y., Kang, H., Gonzalez, A.
  • Organizer: 第21回ミリ波サブミリ波受信機ワークショップ
• [Presentation] Technological Challenges toward a Large-format Heterodyne Focal-plane Array at Mm/sub-mm Waves (2021)
  • Author(s): Shan, W., Ezaki, S., Kojima, T., Uzawa, Y., Kim, J.
  • Organizer: (サブ)ミリ波単一鏡の革新で挑む, 天文学の未解決問題
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Modeling of Current-Voltage Characteristics of DC Reactive Sputtering and Its Application to Superconducting NbTiN Thin Film Deposition (2021)
  • Author(s): Shan, W., Ezaki, S., Miyachi, A., Tamura, T.
  • Organizer: 応用物理学会春季年会
• [Presentation] A Millimeter-wave Multibeam Receive Implemented with Superconducting MMICs (2020)
  • Author(s): W. Shan, S. Ezaki, K. Kaneko, A. Miyachi, T. Kojima, Y. Uzawa, H. Kang, A. Gonzalez
  • Organizer: 21st East Asia S ubmillimeter-wave Receiver Technology Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Progress in Device Fabrication at SIS Cleanroom in NAOJ (2020)
  • Author(s): Shan, W. Ezaki, E., Miyachi, A, Tamura, T., Kojima, T., Uzawa, Y.
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会秋季年会
• [Presentation] A Millimeter-wave Multibeam Receive Implemented with Superconducting MMICs (2020)
  • Author(s): Shan, W., Ezaki, S., Kaneko, K., Miyachi, A., Kojima, T., Uzawa, Y., Kang, H., Gonzalez, A.
  • Organizer: 応用物理学会秋季年会
• [Presentation] PE-CVDプロセスがSISミキサ集積回路に及ぼす影響 (2020)
  • Author(s): 江崎翔平，単文磊，宮地晃平，小嶋崇文，鵜澤佳徳
  • Organizer: 応用物理学会秋季年会
• [Presentation] A Horn-coupled 4-beam Dual-polarization Balanced SIS Mixer Based on Planar-integrated Circuits (2020)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 31st International Symposium for Space Technology
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] A Compact 4-beam Dual-polarization Balanced SIS Receiver Frontend at ALMA Band 4 (2020)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会2020年春季年会
• [Presentation] Experimental Study of a Monolithic Planar-integrated Dual Polarization Balanced SIS Mixer (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 30th International Symposium for Space Technology
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] A Planar Integrated SIS Heterodyne Array for Wide FOV Observation (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: EAO Sub-mm Futures
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Planar-integration of SIS Heterodyne Focal Plane Arrays (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: ESO ALMA Development Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Fabrication of Planar Integrated SIS Mixer Circuit with High Uniformity and High Yield (2019)
  • Author(s): Shohei Ezaki
  • Organizer: 18th International Workshop on Low Temperature Detectors (LTD-18)
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Development of a Planar-integrated Dual-Polarization Balanced SIS Mixer (2019)
  • Author(s): Shohei Ezaki
  • Organizer: 20th EA Sub-mm-wave Receiver Technology Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Performance and Simulation of SIS Mixers with Series Junction Array (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 20th EA Sub-mm-wave Receiver Technology Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Challenging the High-Frequency Multibeam Heterodyne Receivers (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: EA ALMA Development Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Experimental Study of a Monolithic Planar-integrated Dual Polarization Balanced SIS Mixer (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 2019年応用物理学会秋季講演会
• [Presentation] Development of a D-band Dual-polarization Balanced Integrated SIS Mixer for Multi-beam Receiver Application (2019)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan, Shohei Ezaki, Akihira Miyachi, Takafumi Kojima, Yoshinori Uzawa, Alvaro Gonzalez
  • Organizer: 天文学会2019年春季年会
• [Presentation] Development of Multibeam Receivers with Monolithic Integrated Circuit (2018)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: East Asian ALMA Science Workshop
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Design and experimental results of a D-band dual-polarization balanced SIS mixer integrated circuit (2018)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 19th East Asia Sub-millimeter-wave Receiver Technology Workshop & 5th Riken-NICT Joint Workshop on Terahertz Technology
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Fabrication of Planar Integrated Circuits for Multi-Beam Superconducting Heterodyne Receivers at mm/sub-mm wavelengths (2018)
  • Author(s): S. Ezaki, W. Shan, S. Asayama, T. Noguchi
  • Organizer: Applied Superconductivity Conference
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Fabrication of a D-band Dual-polarization Balanced SIS Mixer Integrated Circuit (2018)
  • Author(s): S. Ezaki
  • Organizer: 19th EA Sub-mm-wave Receiver Technology Workshop & 5th Riken-NICT Joint Workshop on Terahertz Technology
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Planar superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixer array receivers for wide field of view astronomical observation (2018)
  • Author(s): W. Shan, S. Ezaki, J. Liu, S. Asayama, T. Noguchi, S. Iguchi
  • Organizer: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Simulation of SIS Mixers with Series-Connected Distributed Junction Arrays (2018)
  • Author(s): Wenlei Shan
  • Organizer: 応用物理学会秋季講演会