Thermoelectric detection of 10 µm energy using point-contact Schottky-barrier diodes operating at zero bias

Zero-biased-point contact Schottky-barrier diodes operating as detectors of 10 µm radiation are analyzed. It is found that a themioelectric process is responsible for the detected voltage observed experimentally. This process dominates all other detection mechanisms due to the high thermoelectric power coefficient of semiconductors. The time constants associated with the process are of the order of 0.4 µs.