Characterization of Terahertz Bi-Material Sensors with Integrated Metamaterial Absorbers
Abstract
THz radiation covers the region of the electro-magnetic (EM) spectrum between the microwaves and infra-red (IR), corresponding to frequencies from approximately 100 GHz to 10 THz. Recently, new imaging techniques, which take advantage of the special properties of THz waves, have been developed. Despite the great interest in these new techniques, limitations such as the lack of appropriate detectors and powerful sources are placing the technology in the research domain. The objective of this thesis is to characterize and analyze a set of fabricated bi-material detectors integrated with thin metamaterial films. Different experimental measurements were performed to measure the main figures of merit of the detectors and analyze them. Initially, optical microscopy was used to measure the dimensions of the sensors and stress induced curvature. Then, the thermal response of the sensors was tested and analyzed. The responsivity, the speed of operation and the minimum detected incident power were measured using a quantum cascade laser (QCL), operating at 3.8 THz. The measured experimental data agree well with the theoretical calculated values of the performance parameters.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA590701
Entities
People
- Michail Savvas
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School