A terahertz detector operating at room temperature

Abstract

A detector for terahertz(THz) operating at room temperature for detecting the THz signals is fabricated by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and electronic beam lithography. This detector is composed of a planar logarithm periodic antenna of Al film and a microbolometer of Nb 5 N 6 thin film, acting as both a radiation absorber and a temperature sensor, respectively which is fabricated on a high resistivity Si substrate with 100nm thick SiO 2 layer. The best attainable responsivity of this device is over 100 volts per watt at 300K at a bias current of 2 mA,and the electrical noise equivalent powers (NEP) is as low as 3.98 10 -10 W Hz 1/2 .These are good enough for many detecting and imaging arrays in THz frequencies.