AlGaN/GaN ultraviolet photodetectors

The detection of light in the ultraviolet (UV) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is critical to a number of commercial and military applications. Until very recently, the primary means of light detection in the UV was with either silicon photodiodes or photomultiplier tubes, both of which have serious drawbacks. With the advent of optoelectronic devices fabricated in the ternary alloy of AlGaN, the possibility exists to produce high- performance solid-state photodetector arrays that are sensitive to the visible-blind and solar-blind regions of the spectrum. In this paper, we discuss recent advances in the area of ultraviolet photodetectors fabricated on GaN and AlGaN.