Our group has developed terahertz(THz)-waves emitting devices utilizing single crystals of high temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (Bi2212). The working principle of the device is based on the AC Josephson effect which is originated in the intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) constructed in Bi2212 single crystals. In principle, based on the superconducting gap of the compound and the AC Josephson effect, the emission frequency range from 0.1 to 15 THz can be generated by simply adjusting bias voltages to the IJJs. In order to improve the device performances, we have performed continuous improvement to the device structures. In this paper, we present our recent approaches to high performance Bi2212 THz-waves emitters. Firstly, approaches to the reduction of self Joule heating of the devices is described. In virtue of improved device structures using Bi2212 crystal chips, the device characteristics, such as the radiation frequency and the output power, become better than previous structures. Secondly, developments of THz-waves emitting devices using IJJs-mesas coupled with external structures are explained. The results clearly indicate that the external structures are very useful not only to obtain desired radiation frequencies higher than 1 THz but also to control radiation frequency characteristics. Finally, approaches to further understanding of the spontaneous synchronization of IJJs is presented. The device characteristics obtained through the approaches would play important roles in future developments of THz-waves emitting devices by use of Bi2212 single crystals.

We outline a number of high temperature superconducting Josephson junction-based devices including superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) developed for a wide range of applications including geophysical exploration, magnetic anomaly detection, terahertz (THz) imaging and microwave communications. All these devices are based on our patented technology for fabricating YBCO step-edge junction on MgO substrates. A key feature to the successful application of devices based on this technology is good stability, long term reliability, low noise and inherent flexibility of locating junctions anywhere on a substrate.

This paper describes high-temperature electron transport properties of AlGaN-channel HEMT fabricated on a free-standing AlN substrate, estimated at temperatures between 25 and 300. The AlGaN-channel HEMT exhibited significantly reduced temperature dependence in DC and RF device characteristics, as compared to those for the conventional AlGaN/GaN HEMT, resulting in larger values in both saturated drain current and current gain cutoff frequency at 300. Delay time analyses suggested that the temperature dependence of the AlGaN-channel HEMT was primarily dominated by the effective electron velocity in the AlGaN channel. These results indicate that an AlGaN-channel HEMT fabricated on an AlN substrate is promising for high-performance device applications at high temperatures.

This paper will review the development of SiC power devices especially SiC power junction field-effect transistors (JFETs). Rationale and different approaches to the development of SiC power JFETs will be presented, focusing on normally-OFF power JFETs that can provide the highly desired fail-save feature for reliable power switching applications. New results for the first demonstration of SiC Power ICs will be presented and the potential for distributed DC-DC power converters at frequencies higher than 35 MHz will be discussed.

A novel high temperature superconducting interdigital bandpass filter is proposed by using coplanar waveguide quarter-wavelength resonators. The CPW resonators are arranged in parallel, and consequently the filter becomes very compact. The filter is a 5-pole Chebyshev BPF with a midband frequency of 5.0 GHz and an equal-ripple fractional bandwidth of 3.2%. It is fabricated using a YBCO film deposited on an MgO substrate. The measured filtering characteristics agree well with EM simulations and show a low insertion loss in spite of the small size of the filter.

We report in this paper, the performance of AlGaN/GaN HFETs in the context of high power, low noise and high temperature operations, along with a comparison of their characteristics with other conventional technologies. Finally, a single stage modulator driver for long haul optical communications is presented as an example of application of the GaN-based devices high power handling capabilities.

This paper describes the behavior of voids that were formed due to electromigration and diffusion in the interconnections of gold during a DC bias tests of GaAs ICs to current densities in the interconnections of 0.67 106 A/cm2 to 1.27 106 A/cm2 in the high temperature range of 230 to 260. We have found that the voids were formed at the centers in the cross sections of the interconnections and that gold is left around the voids, which means current still flows after the void formation. We have carefully observed the movement of the anode and cathode side edge of the voids during the tests and found that edges moved toward the cathode, in the direction opposite to the electron flow. This direction is constant. Also, the voids are extended, which means that the velocity of the cathode side edge is greater than that of the anode side edge. The velocity of the edges almost proportionally increased with the current density. The constant edge movement direction and the velocity of the edge dependence on the current density suggest that one of the causes of the edge movement is electromigration. The velocity of the edge depends on the distance between the anode side edge of the void and the through hole. The velocity increases in accordance with a decrease in the distance. This means that one of the causes of the edge movement is the diffusion of gold atoms by a concentration and pressure gradient. The GaAs IC failed at almost the same time as the voids appeared. It is important for reliability to prevent the formation of voids caused by electromigration and diffusion.

The measurement sensitivity of microwave surface resistance, Rs, of high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin films using half-wavelength microstrip resonator with copper and HTS ground plane is analyzed for fundamental and higher order modes of the resonator. The estimated sensitivity of Rs-measurement is at least an order of magnitude greater at fundamental resonant frequency compared to when measured using higher order harmonic modes.

A voltage mode logic device based on RF-Field-driven DC-SQUID (RFDS) using high-TC superconducting Josephson junctions has been proposed. RFDS produces large RF-induced steps, and the orders of steps are strongly selected by DC magnetic flux crossing the SQUID loop superposing with RF magnetic field. In this paper, we present the experimental results of RFDS fabricated by using YBCO grain boundary Josephson junctions. The results are evaluated with numerical simulations. The enhancement of RF-induced steps, the strong selection of step orders and the switching performance are demonstrated.

Recently, optical loss increases have appeared at high temperatures in some of the optical drop cables, introduced for FTTH field experiments. Optical drop cable is installed from homes to aerial facilities, and consists of an optical fiber cable part and a self-supporting wire part. Fiber micro-bending is caused by cable sheath buckling in high temperature environments when the cable is bent with the cable part inside. Moreover, adhesion between the steel reinforcing wires and the cable sheath is effective in preventing this fiber micro-bending, which induces loss increases. This paper also shows the most suitable range of adhesive ability in terms of both practical construction and environment.

We propose a novel planar filter design for narrow-band applications. The filter consists of half-wavelength ring resonators with open gaps. This design has three advantages over conventional planar designs: a smaller size despite narrow bandwidth, a sharper skirt response at the passband edge without notch, an excellent out-band attenuation. We demonstrated these advantages by fabricating an 8-poles filter centered at 1.95 GHz with a 5 MHz bandwidth using YBCO films on a 2 inch diameter MgO substrate.

A new or future system of mobile telecommunication is built by new digital technologies to provide an improved and more consistent quality of service for the customers. These digital systems can provide greater number of transmission channel allocation for their subscribers and security. On the digital communication system, distortion of transmitted signal should be eliminated as much as possible for high communication quality. However, the need to both minimize distortion of signal amplifiers and continue to provide good filtering protection can become difficult to achieve with conventional high power amplifiers and filters. In this paper, the application of high-Tc superconducting (HTS) power filters on such digital communication systems and recent progress of filter device developments for those are discussed.

The dielectric resonator technique is commonly used for microwave surface resistance measurements of High Temperature superconducting (HTS) films. Thickness of super-conductors and its impact on measurement results has not been taken into consideration so far. A theoretical mode-matched solution analysis of a TE011 10 GHz sapphire resonator was performed. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the thickness of the films under test can significantly affect the resonant frequencies (fres) and quality factor Q of the resonant system, particularly when the thickness is less than three times the penetration depth (λ) of the films at the operating temperature. In such cases the microwave properties of the substrate affect fres and Q. For HTS films' thickness relatively small as compared to λ, measured quality factors and resonant frequency may also be affected by substrate thickness and the conductivity of the backing plates of the system. The presence of air gaps between the sapphire and the HTS films does not significantly influence surface resistance measurements. However they can markedly affect the surface reactance from which the penetration depth is calculated.

In order to develop silicon ICs operating up to above 450, Integrated Injection Logic (IIL) was chosen. A new structure for IIL was designed through experimental and theoretical studies of pn junctions, transistors, and IIL at high temperatures. A 5-µm design rule was used. The new IIL was fabricated by a specially developed combined process of ion implantation and low temperature epitaxy. The IIL was fully operational from room temperature to 454, and the output amplitude of a nine-stage ring oscillator was about 30 mV at 454. The minimum delay time of the IIL was 22 nsec at 454. The minimum power-delay product was 11 pJ and was one-third of that for IILs fabricated by 10-µm rule at 50.