Application development of QC laser for THz band multi-beam heterodyne receiver

• Project/Area Number: 24654048
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Astronomy
• Research Institution: Osaka Prefecture University
• Principal Investigator: HIROYUKI Maezawa 大阪府立大学, 理学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (00377780)
• Research Collaborator: 入交 芳久 情報通信研究機構 ; 関根 徳彦 情報通信研究機構 ; 寶迫 巌 情報通信研究機構 ; 山本 智 東京大学 ; 大口 脩 東京大学 ; 切通 遼介 大阪府立大学
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2014-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2013)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
• Keywords: 宇宙物理学 / 地球惑星科学 / ヘテロダイン分光 / 検出器 / 超伝導デバイス / テラヘルツ / 量子カスケードデバイス / 位相同期回路 / リモートセンシング / 電波天文学 / テラヘルツ波 / 量子カスケードレーザー / 超伝導ミクサ検出素子 / デバイスプロセス

Research Abstract

A certain portion of spectral lines from gas species in interstellar mediums, and planetary atmospheres lies in the 1-10 THz frequency band. In the light of analyzing these signals, heterodyne spectroscopy in the field of radio astronomy provides a high frequency resolution that allows us to study the physical and chemical conditions. However, astronomy in the 1-10 THz band has been long unexplored because of the lack of good observing sites and availability of high-sensitivity heterodyne receivers operating in this frequency range. One of the key aspects of future THz-band radio astronomy is the high efficient observations with multibeam receivers. Quantum cascade lasers with output powers in the sub-mW range operating at the 1-10 THz bands are potential candidates as local oscillators for multibeam receivers. In this study, we developed a PLL system to phase-lock such a free running THz-band signal directly by utilizing a superconducting NbTiN-HEB mixer.

Research Products

• [Presentation] 超伝導ホットエレクトロンボロメータミクサ素子のモデルの開発 (2013)
  • Author(s): 切通僚介, 堀内滉介, 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会2013年秋季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
• [Presentation] Development of Superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer Mixer Detectors for Terahertz Band Astronomy and Planetary Atmospheric Research (2013)
  • Author(s): H. Maezawa, Horiuchi, R. Kiridoshi, T. Shiino, T. Soma, R. Furuya, Y. Watanabe, T. Sakai, Y. Nishimura, N. Sakai,K. O. Ohguchi, L. Jiang, S. Yamamoto
  • Organizer: 2013 Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Howard International House, Taipei, Taiwan
• [Presentation] Development of Superconducting Hot Electron Bolometer Mixer Detectors for Terahertz Band Astronomy and Planetary Atmospheric Research (2013)
  • Author(s): 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: Asia-Pacific Radio Science Conference 2013
  • Place of Presentation: 台湾 台北市
• [Presentation] 超伝導ホットエレクトロンボロメータミクサ素子のモデルの開発 (2013)
  • Author(s): 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会秋季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 東北大学
• [Presentation] .5 THz帯拡散冷却型NbTiN HEBミクサの開発 (2013)
  • Author(s): 椎野竜哉
  • Organizer: 日本天文学会2013年春季年会
  • Place of Presentation: 埼玉大
• [Presentation] 惑星大気のミリ・テラヘルツ帯ヘテロダイン分光ための超伝導検出素子の開発 (2012)
  • Author(s): 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合PPS03-P03
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張メッセ
• [Presentation] Development of Superconducting Detectors for MM/THZ Band Heterodyne Spectroscopy of Earth's and Planetary Middle Atmosphere (2012)
  • Author(s): Hiroyuki Maezawa
  • Organizer: AOGS-AGU (WPGM) Joint Assembly
  • Place of Presentation: Resorts World Convention Centre, Singapore
• [Presentation] 惑星大気のミリ・テラヘルツ帯ヘテロダイン分光ための超伝導検出素子の開発 (2012)
  • Author(s): 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: 日本地球惑星科学連合2012年大会
  • Place of Presentation: 幕張メッセ
• [Presentation] Development of Superconducting Detectors for MM/THZ Band Heterodyne Spectroscopy of Earth's and Planetary Middle Atmosphere (2012)
  • Author(s): 前澤裕之
  • Organizer: AOGS - AGU Joint Assembly
  • Place of Presentation: シンガポール