A passive, real-time, terahertz camera for security screening, using superconducting microbolometers

We describe a broadband terahertz camera based on a modular 64-element linear array of hot-spot microbolometers Unlike many superconducting sensor arrays, the readout for this array is performed by entirely uncooled electronics; no SQUIDs or cryogenic HEMTs are employed. The operating principles for the microbolometer and the readout scheme are described and compared with those of similar superconducting sensors.