Infrared-to-Millimeter, Broadband, Solid State Bolometer Detectors

Abstract

Two versions of a thermal detector have been developed combining broadband response over the entire near infrared-to-millimeter region, room temperature operation, solid state construction, and amenability to absolute calibration. The sensitive detector version has a noise equivalent power (NEP) near 7 × 10⁻¹⁰ W/Hz^1/2 with a time constant of 6 msec. The power measuring bolometer version has a sensitivity near 10⁻⁸ W for a 3-sec time constant. The basic construction uses a flake thermistor as a temperature sensor in combination with an optimized radiation absorber.

© 1969 Optical Society of America

A ³He-Cooled Bolometer for the Far Infrared

H. D. Drew and A. J. Sievers
Appl. Opt. 8(10) 2067-2071 (1969)

Optimization of Bias in Thermistor Radiation Detectors. I: Bias Conditions and Performance Figures

Mark Smith
Appl. Opt. 8(5) 1027-1033 (1969)

Design and construction of high-sensitivity, infrared bolometers for operation at 300 mK

D. C. Alsop, C. Inman, A. E. Lange, and T. Wilbanks
Appl. Opt. 31(31) 6610-6615 (1992)

Monolithic silicon bolometers

P. M. Downey, A. D. Jeffries, S. S. Meyer, R. Weiss, F. J. Bachner, J. P. Donnelly, W. T. Lindley, R. W. Mountain, and D. J. Silversmith
Appl. Opt. 23(6) 910-914 (1984)

The Cooled Germanium Bolometer as a Far Infrared Detector

Charlie E. Jones, A. Ray Hilton, J. B. Damrel, and C. C. Helms
Appl. Opt. 4(6) 683-685 (1965)