Ultraviolet Photon Detection Using 4H-SiC Devices

Ultraviolet photon detection with 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC) leverages the material’s wide bandgap, high breakdown field and inherent radiation hardness to achieve solar-blind sensing in the 200–400 nm range. Devices such as Schottky photodiodes, p-i-n photodiodes and avalanche photodiodes (APDs) have been engineered to deliver low dark current, high responsivity and internal gain. Recent advances in epitaxial growth and precise doping control have minimised defect densities and optimised absorption depth, thereby enhancing quantum efficiency at peak solar-blind wavelengths near 270–290 nm. Integration of UV-sensitive pixels with on-chip readout in 4H-SiC CMOS platforms has opened routes to compact imaging arrays for flame monitoring, environmental sensing and space-borne astronomy, while APD architectures extend the detectable flux range for high-intensity applications. Cross-disciplinary modelling and experimental characterisation have elucidated the impact of layer thickness, junction termination and passivation on breakdown voltage and noise performance. As a result, 4H-SiC photodetectors now offer robust operation at temperatures above 300 °C and in high-radiation environments, making them ideal for industrial process control, satellite payloads and defence systems worldwide.

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Ultraviolet Photon Detection Using 4H-SiC Devices publication trend

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Technical terms

Avalanche Photodiode (APD): Photodetector that amplifies photo-generated carriers via impact ionisation to achieve internal gain.

p-i-n Photodiode: Semiconductor detector with an intrinsic layer sandwiched between p- and n-doped regions to maximise carrier generation and collection.

Schottky Photodiode: Detector utilising a metal–semiconductor junction for swift separation of photo-excited charge carriers.

Responsivity: Measure of photocurrent produced per unit incident optical power, expressed in amperes per watt (A/W).

External Quantum Efficiency (EQE): Proportion of incident photons that generate charge carriers contributing to the photocurrent, expressed as a percentage.

Dark Current: Baseline current flowing through a photodetector in the absence of light, which limits detection sensitivity.

References

1. Photo-Electric response of 4H-SiC APDs at High-Level incident flux. Results in Physics (2023).
2. Integrated 64 pixel UV image sensor and readout in a silicon carbide CMOS technology. Microsystems & Nanoengineering (2022).
3. Electrical and ultraviolet characterization of 4H-SiC Schottky photodiodes. Optics Express (2015).
4. An Efficient 4H-SiC Photodiode for UV Sensing Applications. Electronics (2021).