Ultra-broadband near-field Josephson microwave microscopy

TL;DR

This paper introduces a Josephson junction-based near-field microwave microscope capable of high-resolution, broadband spectroscopic imaging of microwave distributions, significantly advancing the characterization tools for integrated microwave devices.

Contribution

The work presents a novel Josephson junction integrated onto a nano-sized tip, enabling broadband, high-sensitivity near-field microwave imaging with real-time, non-destructive capabilities.

Findings

Achieves a detection bandwidth of up to 200 GHz.

Demonstrates high spatial resolution in microwave imaging.

Provides a non-destructive, real-time characterization method.

Abstract

Advanced microwave technologies constitute the foundation of a wide range of modern sciences, including quantum computing, microwave photonics, spintronics, etc. To facilitate the design of chip-based microwave devices, there is an increasing demand for state-of-the-art microscopic techniques capable of characterizing the near-field microwave distribution and performance. In this work, we integrate Josephson junctions onto a nano-sized quartz tip, forming a highly sensitive microwave mixer on-tip. This allows us to conduct spectroscopic imaging of near-field microwave distributions with high spatial resolution. Leveraging its microwave-sensitive characteristics, our Josephson microscope achieves a broad detecting bandwidth of up to 200 GHz with remarkable frequency and intensity sensitivities. Our work emphasizes the benefits of utilizing the Josephson microscope as a real-time, non-destructive technique to advance integrated microwave electronics.