Microbolometers

We are presently developing microbolometers which should allow measurements in seconds rather than hours for characterisation of THz sources in FTIR systems. Using MEMS processing, free standing microbolometer elements have been made from SOI wafers. We have also used SiGe on insulator wafers to demonstrate SiGe microbolometer elements which have improved detectivity over Si microbolometers due to the lower thermal conductivity of SiGe.

The most sensitive commercially available THz detector at present is the liquid He cooled Si bolometer. Such large bolometers have very slow response times due to the large areas.