Open AccessResonant tuning fork detector for THz radiation
Author(s) -
Ulrike Willer,
Andreas Pohlkötter,
Wolfgang Schade,
J. Xu,
Tonia Losco,
Richard P. Green,
Alessandro Tredicucci,
Harvey E. Beere,
D. A. Ritchie
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.014069
Subject(s) - terahertz radiation , tuning fork , detector , optics , radiation , optoelectronics , particle detector , physics , electromagnetic spectrum , materials science , vibration , acoustics
THz-sensing is an emerging technology that would be advantageous for a variety of applications in industry, biology, biochemistry and security, if small and convenient to use sources and detectors would be readily available. However, most of them are bulky, complicate to operate, and need cryogenic cooling. Here we present a new detection scheme that is versatile enough to detect electro-magnetic radiation within the whole spectrum, can be easily applied to the THz-range, and operates at room temperature. The mechanism is based on the resonant excitation of a quartz tuning fork.