. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Ultrasensitive microwave detector developed
by Staff Writers
Pohang, South Korea (SPX) Oct 05, 2020

Microwave bolometer based on graphene Josephson junction - Sampson Wilcox from MIT.

A joint international research team from POSTECH of South Korea, Raytheon BBN Technologies, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the U.S., Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology in Spain, and the National Institute for Materials Science in Japan have together developed ultrasensitive sensors that can detect microwaves with the highest theoretically possible sensitivity.

The research findings, published in the prominent international academic journal Nature on October 1, are drawing attention as an enabling technology for commercializing the next-generation of technologies including quantum computers.

Microwave is used in a wide range of scientific and technological fields, including mobile communications, radar, and astronomy. Recently, research has been actively conducted to detect microwaves at extremely high sensitivity for the next-generation quantum technologies such as quantum computing and quantum communication.

Currently, microwave power can be detected using a device called bolometer. A bolometer usually consists of three materials: Electromagnetic absorption material, a material that converts electromagnetic waves into heat, and a material that converts the generated heat into electrical resistance.

The bolometer calculates the amount of electromagnetic waves absorbed using the changes in the electrical resistance. Using the semiconductor-based diodes such as silicon and gallium arsenide in the bolometer, the sensitivity of the state-of-the-art commercial bolometer operating at room temperature is limited at 1 nanowatt (1 billionth of a watt) by averaging for a second.

The research team broke through this limit by innovating the aspect of materials and structure of the device. Firstly, the team used graphene as the material for absorbing electromagnetic waves. Graphene is made up of one layer of carbon atoms and has a very small electronic heat capacity.

The small heat capacity signifies that even if little energy is absorbed, it causes a big temperature change. Microwave photons have very little energy, but if absorbed by graphene, they can cause considerable temperature rise. The problem is that the temperature increase in graphene cools down very quickly, making it difficult to measure the change.

To solve this problem, the research team adopted a device called the Josephson junction. This quantum device, composed of superconductor-graphene-superconductor (SGS), can detect temperature changes within 10 picoseconds (1 trillionth of a second) via an electrical process. This makes it possible to detect the temperature changes in graphene and the resulting electrical resistance.

Combining these key ingredients, researchers reached the noise equivalent power of 1 aW/Hz1/2, which means the device can resolve 1 aW (1 trillionth of a watt) within a second.

"This study is significant in that it has established a scalable technology to enable the next-generation quantum devices," remarked Professor Gil-Ho Lee of POSTECH, who led the study. He further explained, "This study developed a bolometer technology that measures how many microwave photons are absorbed per unit time. But currently, we are developing a single-photon detection technology that can distinguish each microwave photon."

He concluded, "We expect this technology to maximize the measuring efficiency of quantum computing and drastically reduce the indirect resources to enable large-scale quantum computers that will be of great use.

Dr. Kin Chung Fong of Raytheon BBN Technologies commented, "We are seeing an unexpected interest in this study from those researching the origins of the universe in the field of radio astronomy and those studying dark matter in particle physics." He added, "This is an example of how research on basic science can be applied to various fields."

Research paper


Related Links
Pohang University of Science and Technology
Space Technology News - Applications and Research


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


TECH SPACE
L3Harris Technologies awarded international sonar system program
Sylmar CA (SPX) Sep 11, 2020
L3Harris Technologies has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to deliver two Low-Frequency Active Towed Sonar (LFATS) systems to a NATO member. The LFATS system is used on ships to detect, track and engage all types of submarines. L3Harris specifically designed the system to perform at a lower operating frequency against modern diesel-electric submarine threats. "This award represents our continued growth in the international naval market by providing our allies with a new, variable ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

TECH SPACE
Trump tech war with China changes the game for US business

ISS moves to avoid space debris

Be a Space Traffic Controller

NASA, US Space Force establish Foundation for broad collaboration

TECH SPACE
SpaceX aborts Starlink satellite launch attempt

NASA, SpaceX to launch first Commercial Crew rotation mission to International Space Station

SpaceX improved Crew Dragon capsule for planned Oct. 31 launch

Blue Origin postpones Texas launch of experiments for NASA, universities

TECH SPACE
Study: Mars has four bodies of water underneath surface

Could life exist deep underground on Mars

Perseverance will use x-rays to hunt fossils

China's Mars probe completes second orbital correction

TECH SPACE
NASA chief warns Congress about Chinese space station

China's new carrier rocket available for public view

China sends nine satellites into orbit by sea launch

Chinese spacecraft launched mystery object into space before returning to Earth

TECH SPACE
SpaceX postpones Starlink launch as thick clouds persist

ESA brings space industry together online

UK's OneWeb resumes satellite production after bankruptcy

Rocket policy must not be limited by capital, liability: Startups

TECH SPACE
Secretive Big Data firm Palantir makes low-key stocks debut

3D-printed, transparent fibers can sense breath, sounds, cell movements

18 SPCS now predicts debris-on-debris collisions in space, enhancing Space Domain Awareness for all

Radiation levels on Moon 2.6 times greater than ISS: study

TECH SPACE
CHEOPS space telescope makes ultra-precise temperature and size measurements of an unusual giant planet

Evolution of radio-resistance is more complicated than previously thought

Water on exoplanet cloud tops could be found with hi-tech instrumentation

Professor verifies centuries-old conjecture about the formation of the Solar System

TECH SPACE
SwRI study describes discovery of close binary trans-Neptunian object

JPL meets unique challenge, delivers radar hardware for Jupiter Mission

Astronomers characterize Uranian moons using new imaging analysis

Jupiter's moons could be warming each other









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.