Design analysis of a novel hot-electron microbolometer

Conference · Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:7162906

Nahum, M; Richards, P L ^[1]; Mears, C A ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

We propose a novel antenna coupled microbolometer which makes use of the weak coupling between electrons and phonons in a metal at low temperatures. The radiation is collected by a planar lithographed antenna and thermalized in a thin metal strip. Resulting temperature rise of the electrons is detected by a tunnel junction, where part of the metal strip forms the normal electrode. All components are deposited directly on a substrate so that arrays can be conveniently produced by conventional lithographic techniques. The active area of the bolometer is thermally decoupled by its small volume, by thermal resistance between electrons an phonons in the strip, and by reflection of quasiparticles at interface between strip and superconducting antenna. Design calculations based on a metal volume of 2 [times] 6[times]0.05 [mu]m[sup 3] at an operating temperature of T=100 mK give an NEP [approx] 3 [times] l0[sup [minus]19] WHz[sup [minus][1/2]], time constant [approx] 10 [minus]s, and responsivity [approx] 10[sup 9] V/W. The calculated sensitivity is almost two orders of magnitude higher than that of the best available direct detectors of millimeter and submillimeter radiation at the same temperature.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC03-76SF00098
• OSTI ID: 7162906
• Report Number(s): LBL-32152; CONF-920802-32; ON: DE93002542
• Resource Relation: Conference: Applied superconductivity conference, Chicago, IL (United States), 23-28 Aug 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
BOLOMETERS
DESIGN
ANTENNAS
ELECTRON-PHONON COUPLING
INFRARED RADIATION
SENSITIVITY
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING JUNCTIONS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TUNNEL EFFECT
COUPLING
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUIPMENT
JUNCTIONS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATIONS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
440500* - Thermal Instrumentation- (1990-)
440800 - Miscellaneous Instrumentation- (1990-)