Broadband Characterization of a Compact Zero-Bias Schottky Diode Detector with a Continuous Wave THz System

Over the last few decades several types of Terahertz (THz) detectors have been developed to maturity, paving the way for various potential applications such as diagnostics of THz generation at particle accelerators. An important class are zero-biased Schottky diode THz detectors that are frequently applied at accelerator facilities for operation at room temperature. Zero-biased Schottky diode THz detectors are having lower noise compared to biased ones due to the absence of shot noise. Here we demonstrate the sensitivity of Schottky detectors using a commercial continuous wave photomixing THz system as source. Both, a commercially available as well as a research-grade compact quasi-optical detector with improved video bandwidth are compared from 0.05 to 1.2 THz in terms of sensitivity. At 1 THz, the research grade quasi optical detector shows 7 dB higher dynamic range than the commercial one.