Polarization-dependent response of antenna-coupled single-metal thermocouples

We report on the polarization-dependent response of antenna-coupled single-metal thermocouples for infrared (IR) detection. We find that for certain antenna geometries, the observed open-circuit voltage response changes polarity as a function of the polarization angle of the incident radiation. This behavior is due to a change in the location of the hot junction as the polarization of the incident IR radiation rotates from the co-polarized to the cross-polarized state.