UV detectors and focal plane array imagers based on AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes

The successful development of both discrete UV photodiodes and large-format UV imaging arrays consisting of 128·128 and 320·256 AlGaN p-i-n photodiodes is reported. Detectors and detector arrays have been successfully developed to sense radiation in the 300n365 nm visible-blind and 240n285 nm solar-blind portions of the UV spectral region. Details of the device synthesis and processing are discussed, including flip-chip bonding procedures employed to mate the UV photodiode arrays to silicon read-out integrated circuits (ROICs). A selection of UV images obtained using these new large-format UV digital imagers is included.