EFFECT OF RECEIVING SURFACE DIMENSIONS ON THE BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF METALLIC VACUUM BOLOMETERS

Abstract : The sensitivity and inertia of metallic vacuum bolometers were studied as functions of receivingsurface area. Basic relationships were derived for calculations. The theoretical calculations give results in good agreement with experimental data. It is shown that the sensitivity threshold is proportional to the square root of the receiving-surface area only when the bolometer is cooled by radiation. When it is cooled by radiation and the thermal conduction of the film, the sensitivity is more strongly dependent on the width of the receiving element than on the length, while the converse applies for the inertia factor. (Author)