Antenna-Coupled Titanium Microbolometers: Application For Precise Control Of Radiation Patterns In Terahertz Time-Domain Systems

An ability of lensless titanium-based antenna coupled microbolometers (Ti-mu bolometers) operating at room temperature to monitor precisely radiation patterns in terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) systems are demonstrated. To provide comprehensive picture, two different THz-TDS systems and Ti-mu bolometers coupled with three different antennas-narrowband dipole antennas for 0.3 THz, 0.7 THz and a log-periodic antenna for wideband detection-were selected for experiments. Radiation patterns, spatial beam profiles and explicit beam evolution along the propagation axis are investigated; polarization-sensitive properties under various THz emitter power ranges are revealed. It was found that the studied Ti-mu bolometers are convenient lensless sensors suitable to discriminate and control THz radiation pattern features in various wideband THz-TDS systems.