A User Facility 1.5 THz Heterodyne Receiver System

University Of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Investigators

Abstract

Yngvesson award abstract AST 9987319 A common user 1.5 THz heterodyne receiver system named TREND (Terahertz Receiver with Niobium Nitride Device) will be built and inserted into an existing dual frequency system now in use on AST/RO at the South Pole station. TREND uses a hot electron bolometric (HEB) mixer to achieve 500K DSB low noise performance between 1,300 and 1,600 GHz. The detection and spatial distribution of emission from atomic and molecular species such as N II, H2D+ and CO will provide a new perspective on stellar, chemical and galactic evolution. This will be the first astronomical receiver for frequencies above 1THz and will be the test bed for future applications of low-noise THz receivers in both airborne and space borne recievers. ***