Scientists at Chalmers University of Technology have discovered that by self-heating transistors at a low temperature, it is possible to decrease noise in microwave amplifiers.
“Cooling the amplifier modules to -260 degrees Celsius enables them to operate with the highest signal-to-noise ratio possible today. These advanced cryogenic amplifiers are of tremendous significance for signal detection in many areas of science, ranging from quantum computers to radio astronomy,” Jan Grahn, professor of microwave technology at Chalmers, said.
“The study is important for the fundamental understanding of how a transistor operates close to absolute zero temperature, and also how we should design even more sensitive low-noise amplifiers for future detectors in physics and astronomy,” Grahn added.
