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Coherent far-infrared / sub-millimetre detectors

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Observing Photons in Space

Part of the book series: ISSI Scientific Report Series ((ISSI,volume 9))

Abstract

Coherent detectors in the far-infrared and sub-millimetre spectral ranges provide high to extremely high spectral resolution (> 106). Heterodyne techniques and components have been developed up to terahertz frequencies and moved from ground-based to space applications. The quality of a coherent (heterodyne) receiver depends critically on the signal coupling, the mixer and the mixing element, the local oscillator, and the spectrometer. An overview of the state of the art of far-infrared/sub-millimetre heterodyne receivers is given. The main developments for the different receiver components are described with the emphasis on their use in past, present and future space missions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. European Southern Observatory, Garching, Germany

    Wolfgang Wild

  2. SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Utrecht, Netherlands

    Wolfgang Wild

Authors
  1. Wolfgang Wild
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen PSI, Switzerland

    Martin C. E. Huber , Anuschka Pauluhn  & Alex Zehnder ,  & 

  2. Mullard Space Science Lab, University College London, Dorking, Surrey, UK

    J. Len Culhane

  3. Nightsen, Inc., Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA

    J. Gethyn Timothy

  4. Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany

    Klaus Wilhelm

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Wild, W. (2013). Coherent far-infrared / sub-millimetre detectors. In: Huber, M.C.E., Pauluhn, A., Culhane, J.L., Timothy, J.G., Wilhelm, K., Zehnder, A. (eds) Observing Photons in Space. ISSI Scientific Report Series, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_31

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7804-1_31

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  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-7803-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-7804-1

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