Submillimeter detection with Hg1-xCdxTe

In recent papers [1] and [2] Weber and Kulpa have reported on the usefulness of the alloy semiconductor Hg1-xCdxTe as a long wavelength electron bolometer detector. Although our main interest is in the use of this semiconductor as a mixer for far infrared heterodyne experiments [3], we have inevitably also studied its wider response. Although this research is at a fairly early stage, and some of the results are not easy to interpret, our best detector has a good detectivity (NEP < 1 × 10−11 WHz−½ at 500 μm and < 5 × 10−12 WHz−½ at 900 μm), with a significantly faster response than n-InSb. Moreover, construction of the detector is very simple compared with n-InSb where considerable ingenuity is required to make high impedance, high voltage responsivity detectors without employing magnetic fields.