Abstract: Model acoustic thermometry experiments were conducted during heating of an aqueous liposome suspension. Heating was done to achieve the liposome phase transition temperature. At the moment of the phase transition, the thermal acoustic signal achieved a maximum and decreased, despite continued heating. During subsequent cooling of the suspension, when lipids again passed through the phase transition point, the thermal acoustic signal again increased, despite a reduction in temperature. This effect is related to an increase in ultrasound absorption by the liposome suspension at the moment of the lipid phase transition. The result shows that acoustic thermography can be used to control targeted delivery of drugs mixed in thermally sensitive liposomes, the integrity of which is violated during heating to the phase transition temperature.

Abstract: The discovery of hot-electron phenomena in a thin superconducting film in the last century was followed by numerous experimental studies of its appearance in different materials aiming for a better understanding of the phenomena and consequent implementation of terahertz detection systems for practical applications. In contrast to the competitors such as superconductor-insulator-superconductor tunnel junctions and Schottky diodes, the hot electron bolometer (HEB) did not demonstrate any frequency limitation of the detection mechanism. The latter, in conjunction with a decent performance, rapidly made the HEB mixer the most attractive candidate for heterodyne observations at frequencies above 1 THz. The successful operation of practical instruments (the Heinrich Hertz Telescope, the Receiver Lab Telescope, APEX, SOFIA, Hershel) ensures the importance of the HEB technology despite the lack of rigorous theoretical routine for predicting the performance. In this review, we provide a summary of experimental and theoretical studies devoted to understanding the HEB physics, and an overview of various fabrication routes and materials.