Low-noise kinetic inductance traveling-wave amplifier using three-wave mixing.
We have fabricated a wide-bandwidth, high dynamic range, low-noise cryogenic amplifier based on a superconducting kinetic inductance traveling-wave device. The device was made from NbTiN and consisted of a long, coplanar waveguide on a silicon chip. By adding a DC current and an RF pump tone we are able to generate parametric amplification using three-wave mixing. The devices exhibit gain of more than 15 dB across an instantaneous bandwidth from 4 to 8 GHz. The total usable gain bandwidth, including both sides of the signal-idler gain region, is more than 6 GHz. The noise referred to the input of the devices approaches the quantum limit, with less than 1 photon excess noise. Compared to similarly constructed four-wave mixing amplifiers, these devices operate with the RF pump at ~20 dB lower power and at frequencies far from the signal. This will permit easier integration into large scale qubit and detector applications.
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
M R
MR
Vissers
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
R P
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Erickson
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
H-S
HS
Ku
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
Leila
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Vale
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
Xian
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Wu
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
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G
Hilton
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, CO 80305.
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DP
Pappas
RF; amplifier; four-wave mixing; frequency dispersion; kinetic inductance; microwave; superconducting; three-wave mixing; traveling wave