Columbium nitride superconducting bolometers have been studied for sensitivity when irradiated with a wide band of modulated infra-red radiation of about 0.1 microwatt/mm2 intensity. The bolometer response was amplified by means of a matching input transformer and wide-band amplifier. Time constants for different bolometers ranging from 0.7 to 17.0 milliseconds were observed. Comparisons are given between these superconducting bolometers and other infra-red detectors described in the literature on the basis of reference conditions suggested by Jones (reference 1). Of the 25 superconducting bolometers studied in detail the 9 most sensitive had figures of merit ranging from 14.0 to 1.3.
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R. M. Milton, Chem. Rev. 39, 419(1946). Results for this bolometer were obtained from isolated radiation pulses instead of modulated radiation so no frequency can be given.
E. E. Bell, R. F. Buhl, A. H. Nielsen, and H. H. Nielsen, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 36, 355A (1946), supplemented by unpublished data. (The superconducting bolometer of this study was made in the Johns Hopkins University Cryogeny Laboratory by R. M. Milton.)
These values are given in R. Clark Jones, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37, 897 (1947), coming to him by private communication from W. G. Langton. See Jones’ article for explanation of band width used.
W. H. Brattain and J. A. Becker, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 36, 354A (1946). These results are worked up in Jones’ paper mentioned in reference c.
B. H. Billings, W. L. Hyde, and E. E. Barr, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37, 123 (1947). These reference conditions values are also obtained from Jones’ paper mentioned in reference c.
D. F. Hornig and B. J. O’Keefe, Rev. Sci. Inst. 18, 474 (1947).
Private communication of 4/26/48 from Mr. Roy Anderson, Manager, The Eppley Laboratory, Inc., Newport, Rhode Island.
Tables (2)
Table I
Comparison of superconducting bolometer parameters and sensitivities.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Bolometer No. and CbN sample No.
I ma
R ohm
dR/dTb ohm/°K
ΔJ 10−10 watt
Calculated ΔEn 10−10 v
Experimental ΔEn 10−10 v
ΔEb 10−10 v
ΔEb/ΔEnS/N ratio
ϵ volt/watt
ΔJmin 10−10 watt
5
3.5
13
66,000
150
1000
30,000
30
0.46
2200
14
0.15
1.7
930,000
31
40
24,000
600
0.026
1550
15
4.0
75
7500
162
1000
11,200
11
1.5
650
2
5.0
34
120,000
180
196
184,000
1000
1.5
120
5–d1
33
0.18
3
1660
34
125
1100
8.8
0.67
185
6–e1
10
0.16
0.3
530,000
32
32
5000
155
0.094
3400
7–e1
36
0.35
2.0
2250
48
310
1900
6.1
0.85
370
8–f1
30
0.14
2.0
1200
30
36
1080
30
0.90
40
9–f1
24
0.13
0.2
1300
29
32
100
3.1
0.077
420
10–f1
22
0.09
3.2
800
24
43
500
11.7
0.63
68
11–f1
34
0.10
1.5
630
26
47
500
10.6
0.80
59
12–g1
78
0.10
1.5
3700
26
110
630
6.2
0.18
600
13–g1
34
0.16
2.0
9600
32
90
790
8.8
0.082
1100
14–h1
30
0.10
0.1
380,000
26
186
660
3.5
0.002
110,000
15–i1
30
0.06
0.2
1100
20
100
250
2.5
0.22
450
16–j1
14
1.05
1.1
2570
83
350
640
1.8
0.25
1450
40
0.70
5.0
4100
68
190
1880
9.9
0.46
410
20
0.70
6.0
3000
68
70
1120
16.0
0.37
190
10
0.95
12.0
2100
79
48
890
18.5
0.43
115
32
0.60
10.0
1430
63
138
1760
12.7
1.23
115
30
0.38
8.6
1950
50
84
2800
33.5
1.43
58
15
0.57
25
1280
61
80
1125
13.5
1.00
83
30
1.3
24
1850
92
1430
3700
2.6
2.00
710
20
0.52
4.0
875
58
133
1780
13.4
2.00
66
43
0.73
4.5
1470
69
110
4300
35
2.90
42
Table II
Comparison of superconducting bolometers and other detectors as to sensitivity, time constant, figure of merit, etc.
R. M. Milton, Chem. Rev. 39, 419(1946). Results for this bolometer were obtained from isolated radiation pulses instead of modulated radiation so no frequency can be given.
E. E. Bell, R. F. Buhl, A. H. Nielsen, and H. H. Nielsen, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 36, 355A (1946), supplemented by unpublished data. (The superconducting bolometer of this study was made in the Johns Hopkins University Cryogeny Laboratory by R. M. Milton.)
These values are given in R. Clark Jones, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37, 897 (1947), coming to him by private communication from W. G. Langton. See Jones’ article for explanation of band width used.
W. H. Brattain and J. A. Becker, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 36, 354A (1946). These results are worked up in Jones’ paper mentioned in reference c.
B. H. Billings, W. L. Hyde, and E. E. Barr, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37, 123 (1947). These reference conditions values are also obtained from Jones’ paper mentioned in reference c.
D. F. Hornig and B. J. O’Keefe, Rev. Sci. Inst. 18, 474 (1947).
Private communication of 4/26/48 from Mr. Roy Anderson, Manager, The Eppley Laboratory, Inc., Newport, Rhode Island.