Silicon Carbide Ultraviolet Photodetectors and Their Application in Ecological Monitoring

An investigation of the characteristics of different silicon carbide photodetectors was made: 1. with a Schottky barrier; 2. with p–n junction, made by epitaxy or diffusion of aluminum and boron; 3. avalanche photodiodes. These photodetectors had a high efficiency in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum with a sensitivity maximum at 250–330 nm and were capable of operation at temperatures of 800 K. Based on this a SiC PD was developed which can be used as a modern ozone analyser. The instrument based on measurement of the ozone-absorbed optical radiation fraction at wavelength 254 nm has a sensitivity equal to 10—6 g/m3 at an optical length of 71 cm.