Very Low-Noise Figure HTSC RF Front-End

Abstract

A very low noise figure radio frequency (RF) front-end for the cellular realm is presented. The front-end is composed of two planar YBCO high critical temperature superconductor (HTSC) bandpass filters (BPFs) and a low temperature, low noise amplifier. Using advanced HTSC growth techniques, 8-pole hairpin BPFs are implemented in a YBCO thin film grown on both sides of a sapphire substrate. The front-end is designed and implemented based on the optimal configuration of the filters derived from advanced electromagnetic simulations. Measured performance at 77 K shows a high-frequency response and very low losses, with an insertion loss of 0.15 dB and a rejection ratio of −93 dBc. The integration of HTSC filters with the low noise amplifier results in a system with superior performance, with a low noise figure of around 0.5 dB. Low insertion loss and the compact dimensions of the filter, along with low total system noise, make the designed superconducting RF front-end highly attractive for radio receivers.