Nb5 N6 microbolometer arrays for terahertz detection

A novel room-temperature microbolometer array chip consisting of an Nb5N6 thin film microbridge and a dipole planar antenna, which is used as a terahertz (THz) detector, is described in this paper. Due to the high-temperature coefficient of the resistance of the Nb5N6 thin film, which is as high as -0.7% K-1 , such an antenna-coupled microbolometer is ideal for detecting signals in a frequency range from 0.22THz to 0.33THz. The dc responsivity, calculated from the measured I-V curve of the Nb5N6 microbolometer, is about -760 V/W at a bias current of 0.19mA. A typical noise voltage as low as 10 nV/Hz 1/2 yields a low noise equivalent power (NEP) of 1.3×10-11W/Hz 1/2 at a modulation frequency above 4kHz, and the best RF responsivity, characterized using an infrared device measuring method, is about 580V/W, with the corresponding NEP being 1.7×10-11W/Hz 1/2 . In order to further test the performance of the Nb5N6 microbolometer, we construct a quasi-optical type receiver by attaching it to a hyperhemispherical silicon lens, and the result is that the best responsivity of the receiver is up to 320V/W. This work could offer another way to develop a large scale focal-plane array in silicon using simple techniques and at low cost.