Superconducting hot-electron nanobolometer-sensor arrays for supersensitive imaging radiometers of terahertz frequency range

Development of various supersensitive detector arrays, based on superconducting bolometers for purpose of passive radio vision at terahertz frequencies including radiometers for ground-based and space astronomy security and medical diagnostics systems is in progress. One of the most popular detector devices are the hot-electron bolometer-sensors operated at the superconducting transition edge (TES nanobolometers) and their arrays that include also the RF coupling circuits, electronic schemes for multiplexing and for read-out signals from the arrays.The antenna-coupled hot-electron nanobolometer-sensors with combined radiation absorbers and transition edge sensors (TES) are the most promising devices as opposed to bolometers, which employ suspended membranes. The membrane-type devices include the transition edge sensor attached to the radiation absorber, which is being warmed up, and than the heat is transferred to the sensor.