An SIS Submillimetre Wave Heterodyne Receiver for Radioastronomy at 368 and 380 GHz using Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb Junctions

To prepare the submillimeter space programs in astrophysics, the development of infrared photometers and heterodyne spectrometers has been supported by the french space agency (CNES). The heterodyne instrument includes an SIS receiver with Nb/AlOx/Nb tunnel junctions operating at 4K. An Acousto-Optical Spectrometer (AOS) is used for high resolution (v/Δv≈2.106) spectral analysis. This instrument will be employed to simultaneously detect the 0₂ and the H₂O lines in the interstellar medium at 368 and 380 GHz respectively. Observations in this part of the spectrum requires low atmospheric water vapor and oxygen molecule enussion, so that the telescope will fly under a stratospheric balloon borne (PRONAOS).