ROOM TEMPERATURE LIGHT-THERMO-DETECTOR MADE OF HIGH-T_c SUPERCONDUCTOR

Based on the anisotropic Seebeck tensor coefficients, a light-thermo-radiation detector made of high-T_c superconductor (YBa₂Cu₃O_7-\delta) was fabricated, which can function at room temperature. The induced voltaic signals at various modulation frequencies for radiation from He-Ne laser and from a 500 K black body were measured. The noise ratio for detecting He-Ne laser radiation and the D^* for black body were evaluated. Compared with bolometer made of high-T_c superconductor which functions at liquid nitrogen, and with pyroelectric detector, it was found that the advantages of this new device are that the device can work at room temperature with very low noise and very fast response. Although having a lower D^* value than that of bolometer for the present device construction, we point out the possibility and the direction for improving the D^* value, hence the promising prospect of this kind of device.