| Literature DB >> 35211645 |
Leonardo Vicarelli1, Alessandro Tredicucci1,2, Alessandro Pitanti1.
Abstract
Fast room-temperature imaging at terahertz (THz) and subterahertz (sub-THz) frequencies is an interesting technique that could unleash the full potential of plenty of applications in security, healthcare, and industrial production. In this Letter, we introduce micromechanical bolometers based on silicon nitride trampoline membranes as broad-range detectors down to sub-THz frequencies. They show, at the longest wavelengths, room-temperature noise-equivalent powers comparable to those of state-of-the-art commercial devices (∼100 pW Hz-1/2), which, along with the good operation speed and the easy, large-scale fabrication process, could make the trampoline membrane the next candidate for cheap room-temperature THz imaging and related applications.Entities:
Year: 2022 PMID: 35211645 PMCID: PMC8855436 DOI: 10.1021/acsphotonics.1c01273
Source DB: PubMed Journal: ACS Photonics ISSN: 2330-4022 Impact factor: 7.529
Figure 1(a) Sketch of the experimental setup. (b) Experimental (black dots) and numerical (red line) static self-mixing signals. (c) SEM micrograph of a trampoline membrane (device M2).
Figure 2Device M1. (a) Demodulated amplitude and (b) phase when the trampoline resonator was probed at different laser powers. (c) Shift of the resonant frequency as a function of laser power. (d) Map of the demodulated amplitude around the membrane center.
Figure 3(a) Responsivities of the two different membranes as functions of the modulation frequency for visible (564 THz) and sub-THz (0.14 THz) radiation. (b, c) Time plots of the phase signal for membrane M1 illuminated by the 0.14 THz source for modulation frequencies of 1 and 210 Hz, respectively (blue = signal; orange = TTL modulation)
Figure 4(a) NEPs of the two membranes illuminated by the 0.14 THz source as functions of the modulation frequency. (b) Minimum NEPs as functions of the amplitude of the sinusoidal driving voltage applied to the piezoelectric actuator.