A better device for measuring electromagnetic radiation

Astronomers and homeowners alike use bolometers, which monitor electromagnetic radiation by heating an absorbing material.However, the majority of these devices must operate at extremely low temperatures and have a limited bandwidth.

Now, the researchers claim to have discovered a faster, more sensitive alternative that works at room temperature and may be significantly less expensive.According to the multidisciplinary research team, the findings, which were recently published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, may pave the way for brand-new astronomical observatories for long-wavelength emissions, brand-new heat sensors for buildings, and even brand-new quantum sensing and information processing devices.

Dmitri Efetov, a recent MIT postdoc, Professor Dirk Englund of MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Raytheon BBN Technologies’ Kin Chung Fong, and colleagues from MIT and Columbia University make up the group.