Infrared microstrip dipole antennas - FDTD predictions versus experiment

We report on the successful use of niobium microbolometers coupled to microstrip dipole antennas for the detection of midinfrared radiation. Measurements of the detector response versus antenna length performed at the 10.6 mum wavelength allowed us to identify, the first three current-wave resonances along the antenna arms. The detector response was also measured as a function of the radiation wavelength in the 9-11 mum spectral domain. Excellent agreement between the experimental results and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) predictions was obtained. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.