Resistive states of superconducting hot-electron bolometer mixers: Charge-imbalance vs. hotspot

We present a study of the resistive behavior of hot-electron bolometers in two different regimes. At bath temperatures near the critical temperature and under the condition of a low current density, the behavior can be understood in terms of charge-imbalance, Andreev reflection, and the superconducting proximity effect. At lower temperatures, a high current density and the application of LO power result in the formation of a resistive electronic hotspot. We propose to interpret heterodyne downconversion as the result of the length oscillation of the hotspot at the intermediate frequency.