Observation of Synchrotron Radiation Using Low Noise Block (LNB) at ANKA

Generally Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) is emitted for wavelengths longer than or equal the bunch length, so for CSR in the THz-range short bunches are required. There are two types of detectors in this range of the spectrum: slow detectors like a golay cell or pyrometric detectors (used for e.g. imaging, spectroscopy) and fast detectors like superconducting bolometer detector systems and Schottky Barrier diodes (used for e.g. the investigation of dynamic processes in accelerator physics). The hot electron bolometer (HEB) detector system is a member of second group. It is very fast and has broad spectral characteristics, but unfortunately very expensive and have to be cooled using liquid helium. If the broad spectral response is not important, it will be suitably to use a Schottky Barrier diode instead. These detectors are massively cheaper but also slower. As an alternative to a Schottky diode a LNB (Low Noise Block) can be also used. It is usually used in standard TV-SAT-receivers. Due to mass production LNBs became very cheap, moreover they are optimized to detect very low intensity "noise-like" signals. In this paper we present our experience with a LNB at ANKA.