Talk:Bolometer

message: Hello,
in the article it is stated "Bolometers are therefore used for astronomy at these wavelengths. However, to achieve the best sensitivity, they must be cooled down to a fraction of a degree above absolute zero (typically from 50 millikelvins to 300 mK); this makes their operation technically somewhat challenging."
Now, as far as I understand it, the bolometers used in astronomy are mostly hot electron bolometers, which employ superconductive microbridges. However I was under the impression that they would be cooled to the transition temperature, so that an increase in temperature due to radiation actually causes a leap in resistance. If that is the case, then further cooling from 4 Kelvin or whereever the transition temperature of the material is, wouldn't yield an increase in sensitivity.
Could the author of the article elaborate on the 50-300 mK, as I am apparently missing some detail here and don't quite understand it. 
Thanks in advance.
:As someone who makes hot electron bolometers (HEBs), I can say that you are generally right here. HEB physics are still not completely understood, though temperature, LO power, biasing, etc all do appear to play somewhat of a role in sensitivity (really noise temperature). Lowering the temperature of your entire receiver system would reduce overall noise, but strictly speaking wouldn't have such a big effect on the HEB itself. I think what the author is referencing here are probably bolometric direct detectors, which would not even necessarily require superconductors. --Jschultz 03:42, 28 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  I have got a question about the millikelvin comment 

message: It seems to me that the section on microbolometers is way too specific to a particular kind of bolometer. I think a hot electron bolometer (HEB) could probably be called a microbolometer, though it doesn't match the description in this section at all. Maybe it would be more appropriate to have a section called 'Microbolometric IR Camera' instead. Any thoughts here? --Jschultz 03:42, 28 October 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Microbolometer Generality 

message: This version found in J.M. Pasachoff, Contemporary Astronomy (Saunders College Publishers, Philadelphia, 1985) page 47:
 Langley invented the bolometer,
 A very fine sort of thermometer.
 It can measure the heat,
 Of a polar bear's feet
 At the distance of half a kilometer.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Lori.goldner (talk • contribs) 19:11, 22 June 2017 (UTC)
thread_title:  The Bolometer Limerick 

message: Hi everyone! I just uploaded an image of Charles Greeley Abbot utilizing a "Bolometric apparatus." It might be a cool thing to feature in this, or a related article! You can see the image . Thanks! Sarah (talk) 19:24, 11 April 2012 (UTC)
thread_title:  Secretary Charles G. Abbot with Bolometric Apparatus.jpg 

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