High-Performance UV Photonic Solutions

At the interface between optics and electronics is the world of electro-optical / photonic devices. Photonic sensors of various types, including photodiodes, are photon detectors which convert light to electricity.

CoolCAD’s SiC photodiodes have higher energy thresholds than traditional silicon photodiodes, making them blind to visible light and highly sensitive to ultra-violet (UV) energy. They do not require daylight filters and they produce less dark current. They are also stable at high temperatures.

UV Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs)

Our SiC-based Avalanche Photodiodes (APDs) can detect very low-level UV light. In standard photodetectors, one absorbed photon will generate one electron’s worth of current. With CoolCAD APDs, one photon gives rise to almost one million electron-hole pairs. And our UV APDs are “Solar Blind,” which means they are not affected by visible light and can detect very faint UV signals against the bright background of broad daylight without the need for optical filters. Our APDs can also operate in “Geiger Mode” where a single UV photon generates an electric pulse, so that photons can be counted using standard pulse counting electronics.

Applications include UV water and air sterilization, pathogen detection, flame detection, surface defect monitoring, engine monitoring and control, and UV curing. Because our APDs are especially adept at detecting extremely low intensity UV optical sources in broad daylight, they are ideal for spectral imaging and missile and rocket monitoring.

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UV Linear Photodiodes

CoolCAD UV Linear Photodiodes generate photocurrent that is proportional to the amount of incident UV light in the range of 190nm to 350nm. They are fabricated from SiC using our proprietary SiC semiconductor processing techniques. Our linear photodiodes have high responsivity and exhibit extremely low dark current. Since they do not suffer from visible light saturation, they can be used in broad daylight without an optical filter.

Applications include UV water and air sterilization, pathogen detection, fire detection, surface defect monitoring, engine monitoring and control, and UV curing.

UV Focal Plane Arrays

CoolCAD is developing SiC Focal Plane Arrays for UV imaging applications. Our unique UV passive pixel arrays are constructed with distinct isolation between pixels to minimize cross-talk and optimize resolution. They are available in two sizes (32×32 and 64×64) with 50 and 100µm pitch and pixel isolation and generate photocurrent that is proportional to the amount of UV incident light in the range of 190nm to 350nm. Our pixel arrays do not respond to visible light but are designed to function at their best in broad daylight, even without a filter.

Applications include UV imaging of surface defects, UV instrumentation and spectroscopy and photographing objects and scenes in the UV spectrum.

Custom UV Photonic Solutions

CoolCAD’s achievements in SiC technology provide high-value benefits to customers seeking to develop high-performance photodiode solutions that meet their specific requirements. From concept to production, our team of experts assist in the development of customized UV photonic detection and monitoring solutions that are built to last in the harshest of environments. Using the synergy of our SiC CMOS technology, we are also developing amplifiers which we can integrate on-chip with our optical diodes.

Applications include sensor systems for the military, aerospace industry, oil and gas drilling industry, geothermal energy and industrial safety.