Niobium direct detectors for fast and sensitive terahertz spectroscopy.
We report the performance of a niobium hot-electron bolometer designed for laboratory terahertz spectroscopy. The antenna-coupled detector can operate above 4.2 K and has fast (subnanosecond) response. Detailed microwave measurements of performance over a wide range of operating conditions were correlated with quantitative terahertz measurements. The maximum responsivity is 4 x 10(4) VW with a noise equivalent power at the detector of 2 x 10(-14) W/Hz(12), approaching the intrinsic thermal fluctuation limit for the device. This detector enables a variety of novel laboratory spectroscopy measurements.
Reese
M O
MO
Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8284, USA.
Santavicca
D F
DF
Prober
D E
DE
True
A B
AB
Schmuttenmaer
C A
CA
D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008872:Microwaves; D009556:Niobium / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers
D009556:Niobium