Panu Helistö

Electrical Transport and Field-Effect Transistors Using Inkjet-Printed SWCNT Films Having Different Functional Side Groups

The electrical properties of random networks of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) obtained by inkjet printing are studied. Water-based stable inks of functionalized SWNTs (carboxylic acid, amide, poly(ethylene glycol), and polyaminobenzene sulfonic acid) were prepared and applied to inkjet deposit microscopic patterns of nanotube films on lithographically defined silicon chips with a back-side gate arrangement. Source-drain transfer characteristics and gate-effect measurements confirm the important role of the chemical functional groups in the electrical behavior of carbon nanotube networks. Considerable nonlinear transport in conjunction with a high channel current on/off ratio of approximately 70 was observed with poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized nanotubes. The positive temperature coefficient of channel resistance shows the nonmetallic behavior of the inkjet-printed films. Other inkjet-printed field-effect transistors using carboxyl-functionalized nanotubes as source, drain, and gate electrodes, poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized nanotubes as the channel, and poly(ethylene glycol) as the gate dielectric were also tested and characterized.

Suspended metal wire array as a thermoacoustic sound source

We demonstrate that a suspended metal wire array can be used to produce high-pressure sound waves over a wide spectrum using the thermoacoustic effect. We fabricated air-bridge arrays containing up to 2×105 wires covering an area of a few square centimeters. The supporting silicon wafer was isotropically plasma etched to release the wires thereby avoiding heat contact with the substrate. Sound pressure levels reaching 110 dB at a distance of 8 cm were demonstrated near 40 kHz in free field. The devices are also able to reproduce music and speech. They have potential for applications especially in the ultrasound range.

An Ultra-Low Noise Superconducting Antenna-Coupled Microbolometer With a Room-Temperature Read-Out

In this letter, we report the electrical and optical characteristics of a superconducting vacuum-bridge microbolometer with an electrical noise equivalent power of 26fW radicHz and an effective time constant of 380 ns, when operated at a bath temperature of 4K. We employ a novel room temperature external negative feedback readout architecture, that allows for noise matching to the device without bulky stepup transformers or cooled electronics. Both the detector and the readout lend themselves to be scaled to imaging arrays. The directly measured noise equivalent temperature difference over a 100-1000-GHz bandwidth is 125 mK in a 30-ms integration time

Low-noise readout of superconducting bolometers based on electrothermal feedback

We have developed a simple room-temperature readout for superconducting bolometers and calorimeters. Due to electro-thermal feedback, the bolometer can be noise-matched with the readout amplifier. The constructed amplifier consists of low-noise field-effect transistors, and voltage bias is actively provided by electrical feedback. According to our measurements on superconducting vacuum-bridge bolometers, the total noise is limited by the bolometer phonon and Johnson noise characterized by a critical temperature of 8.5 K. We show that, with proper sensor design, it is possible to reach the photon noise limit in video-rate submillimetre imaging applications.

Ultrasensitive proximity Josephson sensor with kinetic inductance readout

We propose a mesoscopic kinetic-inductance radiation detector based on a long superconductor-normal metal-superconductor Josephson junction. The operation of this proximity Josephson sensor relies on large kinetic inductance variations under irradiation due to the exponential temperature dependence of the critical current. Coupled with a dc superconducting quantum interference device readout, the PJS is able to provide a signal to noise (S/N) ratio up to ∼103 in the terahertz regime if operated as calorimeter, while electrical noise equivalent power as low as ∼7×10−20W∕Hz at 200mK can be achieved in the bolometer operation. The high performance together with the ease of fabrication make this structure attractive as an ultrasensitive cryogenic detector of terahertz electromagnetic radiation.

AC voltage standard based on a programmable SIS array

An AC voltage standard is being developed based on phase sensitive detection of the amplitude of the fundamental frequency component of the output of a programmable Josephson voltage array. The setup is described and requirements for relative uncertainties less than 10/sup -7/ at 1 kHz and 1 V are discussed. According to preliminary experiments, the constructed current bias is able to drive the array from -1 to +1 V within less than 100 ns.

Passive Euro-American terahertz camera (PEAT-CAM): passive indoor THz imaging at video rates for security applications

The objective of this program is to demonstrate a system capable of passive indoors detection and identification of concealed threat items hidden underneath the clothing of non-cooperative subjects from a stand-off distance of several meters. To meet this difficult task, we are constructing an imaging system utilising superconducting ultrawideband antenna-coupled microbolometers, coupled to innovative room temperature read-out electronics, and operated within a cryogen-free pulse tube refrigerator. Previously, we have demonstrated that these devices are capable of a Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference (NETD) of 125 mK over a pre-detection bandwidth from 0.2-1 THz using a post-detection integration time of 30 ms. Further improvements on our devices are reducing this number to a few tens of mK. Such an exquisite sensitivity is necessary in order to achieve the undoubtedly stringent requirements for low false positive alarm rate combined with high probability of detection dictated by the application. Our technological approach allows for excellent per frame NETD (objective 0.5 K or below at 30 Hz frame rate), and is also amenable to multispectral (colour) imagery that enhances the discrimination of innocuous objects against real threats. In the paper we present results obtained with an 8-pixel subarray from our linear array of 128 pixels constructed using a modular approach. Two-dimensional imaging will be achieved by the use of conical scanning.

Characterization of a fabrication process for the integration of superconducting qubits and rapid-single-flux-quantum circuits

In order to integrate superconducting qubits with rapid-single-flux-quantum (RSFQ) control circuitry, it is necessary to develop a fabrication process that simultaneously fulfils the requirements of both elements: low critical current density, very low operating temperature (tens of millikelvin) and reduced dissipation on the qubit side; high operation frequency, large stability margins, low dissipated power on the RSFQ side. For this purpose, VTT has developed a fabrication process based on Nb trilayer technology, which allows the on-chip integration of superconducting qubits and RSFQ circuits even at very low temperature. Here we present the characterization (at 4.2 K) of the process from the point of view of the Josephson devices and show that they are suitable to build integrated superconducting qubits.

EURECA - A European-Japanese micro-calorimeter array

The EURECA (EURopean-JapanEse Calorimeter Array) project aims to demonstrate the science performance and technological readiness of an imaging X-ray spectrometer based on a micro-calorimeter array for application in future X-ray astronomy missions, like Constellation-X and XEUS. The prototype instrument consists of a 5 × 5 pixel array of TES-based micro-calorimeters read out by by two SQUID-amplifier channels using frequency-domain-multiplexing (FDM). The SQUID-amplifiers are linearized by digital base-band feedback. The detector array is cooled in a cryogenfree cryostat consisting of a pulse tube cooler and a two stage ADR. A European-Japanese consortium designs, fabricates, and tests this prototype instrument. This paper describes the instrument concept, and shows the design and status of the various sub-units, like the TES detector array, LC-filters, SQUID-amplifiers, AC-bias sources, digital electronics, etc. Initial tests of the system at the PTB beam line of the BESSY synchrotron showed stable performance and an X-ray energy resolution of 1.58 eV at 250 eV and 2.5 eV @ 5.9 keV for the read-out of one TES-pixel only. Next step is deployment of FDM to read-out the full array. Full performance demonstration is expected mid 2009.

Stand-off passive THz imaging at 8-meter stand-off distance: results from a 64-channel real-time imager

At present, the imaging of concealed weapons and contraband is primarily carried out at a relatively short stand-off range of a few meters mainly because of spatial resolution considerations. In order to maintain a reasonable aperture size, there is a desire to extend the operating frequency towards 1 THz. In this paper we report the progress on a video-rate THz camera demonstrator which utilizes broadband antenna-coupled microbolometers as detectors, operated within a turnkey commercial closed-cycle cryocooler. A full system has been integrated consisting of 64 parallel sensors and readout electronics, and reflective Schmidt camera optics incorporating a conical scanner for real time imaging.