AlGaN/InGaN Photocathode Development

Journal Article · Wed Dec 24 00:00:00 EST 2008 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3076824· OSTI ID:21255202

Buckley, J H; Leopold, D J ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics and McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130 (United States)

An increase in quantum efficiency in photodetectors could result in a proportional reduction in the area of atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes and an even larger reduction in cost. We report on the development of high quantum efficiency, high gain, UV/blue photon-counting detectors based on AlGaN/InGaN photocathode heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy. This research could eventually result in nearly ideal light detectors with a number of distinct advantages over existing technologies for numerous applications in high-energy physics and particle astrophysics. Potential advantages include much lower noise detection, better stability and radiation resistance than other cathode structures, high VUV sensitivity and very low radioactive background levels for deep underground experiments, and high detection efficiency for the detection of individual VUV-visible photons. We are also developing photocathodes with intrinsic gain, initially improving the detection efficiency of hybrid semiconductor-vacuum tube devices and eventually leading to a new type of all-solid-state photomultiplier device.

• OSTI ID: 21255202
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1085, Issue 1; Conference: 4. international meeting on high energy gamma-ray astronomy, Heidelberg (Germany), 7-11 Jul 2008; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3076824; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ASTROPHYSICS
CHERENKOV COUNTERS
COST
EQUIPMENT
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
PHOTOCATHODES
PHOTODETECTORS
PHOTOMULTIPLIERS
PHOTONS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SENSITIVITY
TELESCOPES
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES