Single-Shot Terahertz Spectrometer Using a Microbolometer Camera

We demonstrate a single-shot terahertz spectrometer consisting of a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer and a microbolometer focal plane array. The spectrometer is simple to use and can measure terahertz field autocorrelations and spectral power with no moving parts and no ultrashort-pulsed laser. It can effectively detect radiation at 10–40 THz when tested with a thermal source. It can also be used to measure the complex refractive index of a sample material. In principle, it can characterize both laser-based and non-laser-based terahertz sources and potentially cover 1–10 THz with specially designed terahertz microbolometers.