High-Sensitivity Superconducting Detectors for Terahertz Astronomy
by
S541 Lecture Hall, TDLI
The terahertz (THz) regime, loosely defined as 3mm - 30mm spanning from (sub)millimeter-wave to far-infrared, occupies approximately half the photon energy in the universe after CMB. It is a unique frequency band that can observe radiation from early distant, cold and dusty objects invisible in the optical/NIR regime. Furthermore, there are plenty of molecular rotation lines and atomic fine structure lines in this regime -- important tracers for studying the physical and chemical properties of objects such as stars and planetary systems. With sensitivity approaching the quantum limit for coherent detection and the background limit for incoherent detection, superconducting detectors are playing an increasingly important role in THz astronomy. This talk will focus on recent development of THz superconducting detectors at Purple Mountain Observatory, related astronomical applications, and THz astronomical projects in China.
Prof. Sheng-Cai Shi received his B.S. degree in 1985 from Southeast University (China), M.S. degree in 1988 from Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO, China), and Ph.D. degree in 1996 from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Japan). From 1992 to 1998, he was at Nobeyama Radio Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), developing superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixers for (sub)millimeter projects such as ALMA. He has been a Professor and the Head of Mm- & Submm-Wave Lab at PMO since 1998 and is currently serving as the Chair of the Advisory Committee of PMO. His current research interests include the physics of superconducting devices, THz mixers and detectors, and THz applications. He is a recipient of HLHL Award and was elected as an Academician of CAS in 2021.
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