Design analysis of a high <i>T</i> <i>c</i> superconducting microbolometer

Abstract

We propose an antenna-coupled microbolometer based on the resistive transition of a high Tc superconducting film as a detector for far infrared and millimeter waves. Such microbolometers can be mechanically stronger, more easily fabricated, and much faster than conventional bolometric infrared detectors. A design analysis shows that a noise equivalent power of 2.5×10−12 W Hz−1/2 is achievable for modulation frequencies up to 10 kHz. The superconducting film must be of high quality with narrow resistive transition and low 1/f noise.