Open AccessSub-wavelength bolometers: Uncooled platinum wires as infrared sensors
Author(s) -
Pauline Renoux,
Sigurður Ægir Jónsson,
Levente J. Klein,
Hendrik F. Hamann,
Snorri Ingvarsson
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.008721
Subject(s) - bolometer , responsivity , materials science , optics , nanosecond , black body radiation , optoelectronics , wavelength , infrared , full width at half maximum , radiation , photodetector , laser , physics , detector
We present characterization results of microscopic platinum wires as bolometers. The wire lengths range from 16 μm down to 300 nm. Thus they are in many cases significantly smaller in size than the wavelength of the radiation from the 1200 K blackbody source they were exposed to. We observe a steep rise in both responsivity ℜ and detectivity D* with decreasing wire size, reaching ℜ = 3.1×10(4) V/W and D* = 2.7×10(9) cm Hz(1/2)/W at room temperature for a 300×300 nm(2) device. Two significant advantages of such small wires as bolometers are their low power requirement and fast response time. Our numerical estimations suggest response times in the order of nanoseconds for the smallest samples. They could help improve resolution and response of thermal imaging devices, for example. We believe the performance may be further improved by optimizing the design and operating parameters.