title: Niobium direct detectors for fast and sensitive terahertz spectroscopy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Physics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8284, USA.
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Santavicca
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Prober
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: True
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Schmuttenmaer
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D009556:Niobium