RADIO PHYSICS AND RADIO ASTRONOMY

Subject and Purpose. Results are presented of the recent considerable upgrade implemented at the Kharkiv microwave spectrometer. The upgrade has been aimed at extending the operating frequency range and increasing the utmost accessible spectral resolution of the spectrometer.

Methods and Methodology. In order to extend the frequency range we have designed and constructed new BWO-based oscillator units, also providing for possibility of frequency tripler application. Construction of a new absorbing cell of enlarged diameter allowed us to considerably improve the spectral resolution for Lamb-dip measurements.

Results. Owing to the upgrade, the spectrometer has become able to cover the frequency range from 34 to 420 GHz, with a gap from 183 to 200 GHz. The spectral resolution in the Lamb-dip observation mode has been increased by a factor of two. In addition, the functionality of the spectrometer has been significantly improved via modernization of several of its subsystems.

Conclusions. The new upgrades of the spectrometer systems have permitted extending the operational frequency range and increasing the utmost accessible resolution by means of reducing the time-of-flight line broadening in the Lamb-dip measurements. In addition, application of square-wave frequency modulation with accurately known modulation parameters, in combination with careful modeling of the distortions caused by reflections in the absorbing cell, has allowed us to significantly improve the accuracy of line frequency measurements.

Keywords: microwave spectrometer, millimeter wave spectrum; measurement accuracy, spectral lines

Manuscript submitted 18.03.2023

Radio phys. radio astron. 2023, 28(3): 257-270

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