Thermal crosstalk simulation and measurement of linear terahertz detector arrays

•Finite element analysis was used to study performance of terahertz detector arrays.•A simple device structure can have low thermal crosstalk effect between pixels.•Test result of the fabricated device sample agrees well with the simulation.

Thermal simulation of differently structured linear terahertz detector arrays (TDAs) based on lithium tantalate was performed by finite element analysis (FEA). Simulation results revealed that a relatively simple TDA structure can have good thermal insulation, i.e., low thermal crosstalk effect (TCE), between adjacent pixels, which was thus selected for the real fabrication of TDA sample. Current responsivity (Ri) of the sample for a 2.52 THz source was measured to be 6.66 × 10−6 A/W and non-uniformity (NU) of Ri was 4.1%, showing good performance of the sample. TCE test result demonstrated that small TCE existed in the sample, which was in good agreement with the simulation results.