Patent ID: 8129689

Claim:
A method of detecting an electromagnetic wave, the method comprising: a step of preparing a radiation detector, wherein the radiation detector comprises a first thin film, a substrate, a second thin film, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the substrate is sandwiched between the first thin film and the second thin film, the first thin film is a crystal, has anisotropy in its Seebeck coefficient, and has a crystal plane serving as a factor in inducing anisotropy, the substrate is a crystal, the second thin film is a crystal, has anisotropy in its Seebeck coefficient, and has a crystal plane serving as a factor in inducing anisotropy, an angle α 1 formed between the crystal plane of the first thin film and a surface of the substrate is not less than 10° and not more than 80°, an angle β formed between a low-index plane of the substrate and the surface of the substrate is not less than 10° and not more than 80°, an angle α 2 formed between the crystal plane of the second thin film and a surface of the substrate is not less than 10° and not more than 80°, the first electrode is electrically connected to the first thin film, the second electrode is electrically connected to the second thin film, and the third electrode electrically connects the first thin film and the second thin film; and a step of detecting a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode so as to determine that the radiation detector is irradiated with the electromagnetic wave if the potential difference is detected.