The thermal characterization of bolometers is needed for optimal design aswell as applications. In this letter, we present results of the effect ofenvironment on the thermal properties of micromachined bolometers. We find thatwhile in vacuum, the thermal response can be represented by a single timeconstant, in presence of an ambient gas, the thermal response can no longer bedescribed by a single time constant. This will have a direct implication onfrequency dependence of responsivity. We present a model to explain our datawhich involves the finite diffusion time in the ambient gas and the associatedextra thermal mass.
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