Responsivity Calibration of Pyroelectric Terahertz Detectors

TL;DR

This paper details the calibration process for a commercially available pyroelectric terahertz detector, which is crucial for accurate measurements in high-power terahertz applications at room temperature.

Contribution

It presents a calibration methodology for a specific pyroelectric terahertz detector, enhancing its accuracy and reliability for high-power terahertz radiation measurements.

Findings

Successful calibration of the SPI-A-65 THz detector

Improved measurement accuracy for high-power terahertz sources

Validation of calibration process for commercial pyroelectric detectors

Abstract

There has been a significant advancement in terahertz radiation sources in the past decade, making milliwatt terahertz power levels accessible in both continuous-wave and pulsed operation. Such high-power terahertz radiation sources circumvent the need for cryogenic-cooled terahertz detectors such as semiconductor bolometers and necessitate the need for new types of calibrated, room-temperature terahertz detectors. Among various types of room-temperature terahertz detectors, pyroelectric detectors are one of the most widely used detectors, which can offer wide dynamic range, broad detection bandwidth, and high sensitivity levels. In this article, we describe the calibration process of a commercially available pyroelectric detector (Spectrum Detector, Inc, SPI-A-65 THz), which incorporates a 5 mm diameter LiTaO3 detector with an organic terahertz absorber coating.