S-c-S junctions as nonlinear elements of microwave receiving devices

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Abstract
The analysis of possible phenomena in the superconductor-constriction-superconductor (S-c-S) junctions inserted into microwave circuits is carried out. The results of experiments in which properties of the junctions making them different in comparison with usual nonlinear microwave elements were studied are discussed. The characteristics of receiving devices such as amplifiers, detectors and converters operating on the basis of these phenomena are obtained. The limit characteristics of these devices in different regimes of operation are analysed and compared with experimentally achieved characteristics. It is shown that the noise properties of the receiving devices utilizing the S-c-S junctions close to ideal can be obtained for the frequencies lower than characteristic frequency of the junction. This frequency for known realizations of the S-c-S junctions (point contacts and thin film bridges of small dimensions) can reach of order of 500-1 000 GHz or in other words of the middle of the submillimeter waveband range