The need for more accurate R&D equipment and instruments is reflected in science and radio-communication-based fields as a need for more precise spectrum analysers used, e.g. in wireless and satellite communication, defence, and aerospace including detection of cosmic background radiation, medical instrumentation, standardisation and metrology, and quantum computing and cryptography. The ultimate goal for high-precision spectrum analysers is to reach the capability of measuring a single photon. The project SNABO developed high-precision self-calibrating detectors suitable for measuring radiative power at the whole microwave range (300 MHz – 300 GHz) and beyond. The experiments were carried out around 8 GHz. The project succeeded in demonstrating the most sensitive bolometer with the noise equivalent power down to 20 zW/rHz at a time constant of about 1 ms. By compromising on the noise to 60 zW/rHz, the time constant was pushed down to 0.03 ms. These results also predict that this bolometer could resolve energy packets of 0.3 zJ, which would be about a factor of four improvement into the present stat of the art. Owing to the extreme operational characteristics and to the flexible integrability of the detector to many different electrical systems, it is expected to have a major impact on some of the above-mentioned application areas, and new and emerging markets. The valorisation of this technology was successfully started in SNABO and will be continued in the future to achieve major socieeconomic impact.
