Abstract <p>There is an ongoing need in ground-based astronomy forultra-sensitive receivers, both coherent (e.g., superheterodyne)and incoherent types, the latter offering potentially highersensitivity. Both types rely on superconducting or cryogenicallycooled semiconductor materials. This study explores thefeasibility of using SINIS-based(Superconductor–Insulator–Normalmetal–Insulator–Superconductor) detectors as incoherentsuperconducting receivers. We evaluate the ultimate performanceparameters of SINIS detectors depending on the choice ofsuperconducting material, operating temperature, and detectionregime. Under moderate sub-Kelvin cooling (down to <InlineEquation ID="IEq1"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(0.28\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation> K),aluminum-based SINIS detectors may achieve a responsivity of up to<InlineEquation ID="IEq2"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(10^{8}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation> V W<InlineEquation ID="IEq3"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\({}^{-1}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation> and a noise-equivalent power<InlineEquation ID="IEq4"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\text{NEP}=10^{-17}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation> W Hz<InlineEquation ID="IEq5"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\({}^{-1/2}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation>. For niobium-based SINISdetectors operating at 4.2 K, our estimates yield an<InlineEquation ID="IEq6"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\(\text{NEP}=1.6\times 10^{-16}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation> W Hz<InlineEquation ID="IEq7"> <EquationSource Format="TEX">\({}^{-1/2}\)</EquationSource>  </InlineEquation>, which may be ofpractical interest for specific applications. At the SpecialAstrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAORAS), a prototype project is underway to develop a domesticsubterahertz observatory module integrated with the Big TelescopeAlt-azimuthal (BTA). Within this framework, a SINIS-basedsubterahertz receiver is planned to be installed at the Nasmythfocus of the BTA optical telescope. This paper provides atechnical overview and proposed design of the SINIS receiver,taking into account the optical telescope’s reflective systemarchitecture, its immediate environment, and the expectedscientific goals of such an observational setup.</p>

SINIS Detectors in the Subterahertz Range as a Basis for a Receiver for Radio Astronomical Research with the SAO RAS Optical Big Telescope Alt-Azimuth

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发表日期：

2025年9月1日

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M. A. Tarasov,
A. A. Gunbina,
A. M. Chekushkin,
M. A. Markina,
R. A. Yusupov,
M. Yu. Fominskii,
L. V. Filippenko,
V. S. Edelman,
V. F. Vdovin,
V. A. Stolyarov,
I. I. Zinchenko,
A. M. Krasilnikov,
A. S. Marukhno,
M. A. Mansfeld,
D. E. Kukushkin,
D. A. Sazonenko,
O. S. Bolshakov,
A. B. Ermakov,
I. V. Lesnov,
A. F. Valeev

摘要

Abstract

There is an ongoing need in ground-based astronomy forultra-sensitive receivers, both coherent (e.g., superheterodyne)and incoherent types, the latter offering potentially highersensitivity. Both types rely on superconducting or cryogenicallycooled semiconductor materials. This study explores thefeasibility of using SINIS-based(Superconductor–Insulator–Normalmetal–Insulator–Superconductor) detectors as incoherentsuperconducting receivers. We evaluate the ultimate performanceparameters of SINIS detectors depending on the choice ofsuperconducting material, operating temperature, and detectionregime. Under moderate sub-Kelvin cooling (down to \(0.28\) K),aluminum-based SINIS detectors may achieve a responsivity of up to \(10^{8}\) V W \({}^{-1}\) and a noise-equivalent power \(\text{NEP}=10^{-17}\) W Hz \({}^{-1/2}\) . For niobium-based SINISdetectors operating at 4.2 K, our estimates yield an \(\text{NEP}=1.6\times 10^{-16}\) W Hz \({}^{-1/2}\) , which may be ofpractical interest for specific applications. At the SpecialAstrophysical Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SAORAS), a prototype project is underway to develop a domesticsubterahertz observatory module integrated with the Big TelescopeAlt-azimuthal (BTA). Within this framework, a SINIS-basedsubterahertz receiver is planned to be installed at the Nasmythfocus of the BTA optical telescope. This paper provides atechnical overview and proposed design of the SINIS receiver,taking into account the optical telescope’s reflective systemarchitecture, its immediate environment, and the expectedscientific goals of such an observational setup.