We apply a fast terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) system based on electronically controlled optical sampling (ECOPS) to contact-free thickness gauging. Our setup achieves a measurement speed of 1600 terahertz pulse traces per second, which—to our knowledge—represents the fastest thickness measurement performed with any terahertz system to-date. Using a silicon wafer as a test sample, we compare data of the ECOPS experiment to results obtained with a conventional terahertz TDS system and a mechanical micrometer gauge. We show that all systems provide consistent results within the measurement accuracy. Moreover, we perform thickness measurements of a rapidly moving sample and characterize the ECOPS setup with respect to time-domain dynamic range, signal-to-noise ratio, and spectral properties.

A theoretical model for the responsivity and noise-equivalent power (NEP) of photoconductive antennas (PCAs) as coherent, homodyne THz detectors is presented. The model is validated by comparison to experimental values obtained for two ErAs:InGaAs PCAs. The responsivity and NEP were obtained from the measured rectified current, the current noise floor in the PCAs, and the incoming THz power for the same conditions. Since the THz power measurements are performed with a pyroelectric detector calibrated by the National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB), the experimentally obtained values are directly traceable to the International System of Units (SI) for the described conditions. The agreement between the presented model and the experimental results is excellent using only one fitting parameter. A very low NEP of 1.8 fW/Hz at 188.8 GHz is obtained at room temperature.