High-Sensitivity Bolometers from Self-Oriented Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Composites

In this work, films of horizontally aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes were thermally and electrically characterized in order to determine the bolometric performance. An average thermal time constant of tau = 420 mu s along with a temperature coefficient of resistance of TCR = -2.94% K-1 were obtained. The maximum voltage responsivity and detectivity obtained were R-v =230 V/W and D* = 1.22 x 10(8) cm Hz(1/2)/W, respectively. These values are higher than the maximum voltage responsivity (150 V/W) and maximum temperature coefficient of resistance (1.0% K-1) previously reported for carbon nanotube films at room temperature. The maximum detectivity was obtained at a frequency of operation of 1.25 kHz.