Silicon carbide photomultipliers and avalanche photodiode arrays for ultraviolet and solar-blind light detection

Silicon carbide is known for its large bandgap and suitability to make highly sensitive ultraviolet photo-detectors. These devices show appreciable quantum efficiencies in the 240 nm - 350 nm wavelength range in combination with low dark currents. We present recent results on 4H-SiC avalanche photodiode arrays and SiC-based solid-state photomultiplier arrays suitable for ultraviolet and solar-blind light detection. A novel SiC-based photomultiplier array was demonstrated. Additional solar-blind optical filter allowed achieving a solar photon rejection ratio of more than 10
⁶
in combination with 40% quantum efficiency at 280 nm. More than 50% of pixels of the array have demonstrated low dark count rates in the range of several kHz and single photon detection efficiencies of more than 30% at 266 nm in the solar-blind wavelengths range. The photomultiplier array operating in Geiger mode has demonstrated a linearly increasing response with an increase in number of incident photons. We report on the electrical and optical characteristics of solar-blind 4H-SiC avalanche photodiode arrays and photomultipliers.