A low-cost millimeter-wave glow-discharge detector

A low-cost millimeter-wave glow-discharge detector characterized by a responsibility of 0.177 V/W, a rise time of 2.5 µs, and a noise equivalent power (NEP) of ∼10^-13W/Hz when used in a synchronous detection mode is described. Low NEP is accomplished through a novel biasing arrangement of a commercially available three-electrode glow-discharge lamp originally intended for triggering applications. This biasing arrangement leads to rms noise voltage suppression of nearly 20 dB. This, together with other known properties, makes this detector particularly suited for use in closed-range microwave hologarphic arrays.