Description:
Reference #1285:
The University of South Carolina is offering licensing opportunities for a Voltage tunable solar-blind unltraviolet detector an Epitaxial Graphene/SiC bipolar photo-transistor
Background:
This invention allows the replacement of the metal electrodes used in conventional SiC UV detectors with a highly transparent graphene layer, leading to better output responsivity under low UV signal conditions. This invention demonstrates some potential applications of this technology in electronic and optoelectronic devices for UV monitoring, optical communications, defense, gas sensors, etc.
Invention Description:
This invention allows detection and discrimination of ultraviolet (UV) radiation ranging from 200-400 nm emitted from various UV sources. This invention also allows detection of the UV-C radiation (200-280 nm) without responding to the UV radiation reaching earth's surface from the sun, i.e. UV-B(280-315 nm) and UV-C(315-400 nm), thus enabling solar-blind UV detection. This invention allows the replacement of the metal electrodes used in conventional SiC UV detectors with a highly transparent graphene layer, leading to better output responsivity under low UV signa conditions. This invention demonstrates some potential applications of this technology in electronic and optoelectronic devices for UV monitoring, optical communications, defense, gas sensors, etc.
Potential Applications:
This invention is ideal for companies that are looking for improved performance metrics (such as high gain, responsivity etc.) and are seeking to fabricate solar-blind SiC UV detectors. This list may include photodetectors, gas sensors, flame detectors manufacturers etc., and also for companies working on defense and optical communication applications.
Advantages and Benefits:
1. This invention allows the design and fabrication of solar-blind SiC UV detectors without the need for additional expensive optical filters.
2. The voltage tunable responsivity in Schottky emitter mode allows these devices to be used as a high pass filter for the UV-C radiation.
3. Minimizes the material and fabrication costs.
4. Higher throughput while minimizing the production costs.
5. Epitaxial graphene/SiC based devices can work well under harsh environmental conditions and also longer UV exposures since both EG and SiC have high mechanical strength due to strong chemical bonding.