Openings
Instrument Scientist (post-doc) position for GUSTO
SRON, together with Kavli Institute of Nanoscience at Delft University of Technology (TUD), willdesign, build and test three HEB arrays at 1.4, 1.9 and 4.7 THz, respectively, and also a localoscillator unit at 4.7 THz for GUSTO, and will deliver those units to University of Arizona, where theintegration of GUSTO payload and qualification tests will take place.
You will work with a team on the microwave and optical aspects of the HEB arrays and the localoscillator unit, including design, construction, test and analysis of detector array and the localoscillator unit. In addition, you will contribute to the R&D of heterodyne technology at Far-Infraredfrequencies, carried out by Ph.D students. The activities will take place at SRON-Groningen, in closecollaboration with a team at TUD.
You will devote a fraction of your time to communicate with collaborators from foreign institutesworking in this field. You may also spend a short period of your time at University of Arizona in USAfor GUSTO’s test campaigns.
For more information see the following announcement in PDF :
1314 ISG Instrument Scientist C.pdf
A Post-doctor position for developing HEB mixers
The Post-doc researcher will focus on developing novel HEB mixers with enlarged IF bandwidth, which is highly demanded for a next generation of heterodyne instruments in space. If you are interested in, please contact Jian-Rong Gao
Also the MSC graduation projects
We can offer a number of MSc graduation research projects. One of them is “Hot electron bolometer mixer with an ultra-wide IF bandwidth”.
The recent advancements in terahertz (THz) superconducting nano-detectors together with quantum cascade lasers have opened up exciting, new astronomic observation facilities , ranging from air-, balloon- and space- borne observatories. The examples are NASA STO2 and GUSTO, in which we are participating, and also the mission concepts such as FIRSPEC in Europe and CALISTO in USA. The key detection technology is the NbN hot electron bolometer mixer, which consists in essence of a nano-sized superconducting bridge contacted with Au antenna. This so-called phonon-cooled HEB mixer has matured as the only sensitive mixer for the frequency range from 1.5 to 6 THz. It uses the response to radiation of the temperature-dependent resistance of a small NbN superconducting bridge. The electrons (hot electrons) in the superconducting bridge are heated by the THz photons, predominantly by the LO signal, and the local electron temperature reaches the critical temperature of the superconductor. The mixing signal at intermediate frequency (IF) is the result of the fact that the electron temperature can follow the beat frequency of the LO signal and the signal to be detected.
The research aims to increase the IF bandwidth by a factor of 2 in comparison with the state-of the-art. If so, it will be a breakthrough, opening up discovery opportunities by astronomers. The research involves with variable activities such as fabrication, experimental characterizations, and modeling. However, a detailed project plan will take the desire and strength of the student into account. That the outcome of a graduation project can be later applied for a space mission must be a dream of many students.
If you are looking for a final student project, please contact Dr. J.R. Gao by email,
j.r.gao@tudelft.nl