An Integrated 11GHz Cryogenic Downconverter

• Published in: 1994 24th European Microwave Conference Vol. 1; pp. 658 - 663
• Main Authors: Phillips, W A, Jedamzik, D, Lamacraft, K, Zammattio, S, Greed, R B, Hedges, S J, Whitehead, P R, Nicholson, B F, Button, T W, Alford, N McN, Peters, N, Grier, J
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-09-1994
• Subjects: Bandwidth; Cryogenics; Frequency conversion; High temperature superconductors; Microstrip filters; Microwave filters; Semiconductivity; Silicon; Superconducting filters; Superconducting microwave devices
• DOI: 10.1109/EUMA.1994.337285

A cryogenic downconverter has been designed and built to demonstrate the integration of semiconducting and superconducting components in a complete subsystem cooled by a closed cycle Stirling cryocooler. The frequency selective receiver converts 11 GHz (X-band) signals to an IF of 1000 MHz using a high temperature superconducting (HTS) microstrip input filter with a 1% bandwidth, a silicon diode mixer and a local oscillator stabilized by means of a 10 GHz HTS cavity and driven by a GaAs HEMT. The components are packaged into a cryogenic unit cooled to 60K Details of the system integration are presented, together with microwave and thermal test results.