SBIR 95-1 SOLICITATION
PROJECT SUMMARY
Proposal Number:
Project Title:
GAN BASED HIGH TEMPERATURE ULTRAVIOLET PHOTODETECTORS
Technical Abstract:
There has been a strong demand for compact solid-state ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors
for high temperature operations in both private sectors and government. The use of
III-V nitrides for photodetector applications is expected to yield high responsivities
with low dark currents over a wide range of temperature operation due to the wide band
gap of the nitride alloys. The temperature and chemical stability of the nitrides,
coupled with their high resistance to radiation damage, makes devices fabricated from
them highly attractive for space and/or high temperature applications. In this proposal,
we will investigate the feasibility of developing high responsivity, high temperature,
solar blind UV photodetectors utilizing GaN and its alloys. The objective is to develop
novel MOCVD processes for the growth of GaN and AlGaN, and investigate the critical
aspects such as heterojunction and Shottky type photodetectors utilizing GaN/AlGaN
heterostructures and refractory metal contacts. At the end of the Phase I program,
we will demonstrate the feasibility of UV photodetector prototype for operation in
extremes of temperature and radiation, as well as in space.
Potential Commercial Applications:
Success in this proposal will provide solar blind UV photodetectors for commercial
and space applications: 1) detection of gasses in high temperature environments
such as furnaces or reactors, in which Si based detectors are limited in this area
due to their degradation at these high temperatures; 2) detection of emissions from
flames in the presence of a hot background due to their low wavelength cutoff.
This would allow for a flame ON/OFF system to be utilized for furnaces as a flame
safety or control; 3) quantification of UV exposure to personnel.
Name and Address of Offeror:
EMCORE Corporation
394 Elizabeth Ave.
somerset, NJ 08873
Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) &
Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) Programs
Electronic Management System (EMS)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The SBIR/STTR EMS site is maintained by Steve
Hu, Hughes STX.
For comments and questions, contact
webmaster@sbir.hq.nasa.gov.
Updated: Feb. 7, 1996