Abstract
Nanoscale NiCr thin film has been proven to be an effective metallic terahertz (THz) absorption layer. To prepare NiCr film with a small thickness and enhanced THz absorption, a combined process of magnetron sputtering and reactive ion etching (RIE) is suggested to obtain nanostructured NiCr film with different thicknesses by precise control of process parameters and etch time. Optical characteristics tests show that both transmission and reflection of NiCr film are weakened by the RIE treatment. NiCr absorption layer is prepared in 80 × 60 infrared focal plane arrays (IRFPAs) by a combination of substrate modification process and RIE thinning process. THz absorption is effectively enhanced by RIE processes applied to the dielectric substrate and NiCr film, which generates nanoscale structures on upper and lower surfaces of NiCr absorption film for an increased specific surface area. The noise equivalent power (NEP) of the THz detection unit achieves 162.8 pW/Hz1/2, which is suitable for the application of active THz imaging. The results indicate that nanostructured NiCr film is an effective THz absorption layer for applications in thermal sensing and its absorption performance can be further improved by RIE.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call