Selective UV Detector as a Combination of Waveguide Structures of Eu3+-Doped Zinc Borate Glasses with Si Photodiode

Abstract

Selective, low cost ultraviolet detectors with a sensitivity of up to 3 mA/W in the UVC energy range were fabricated by means of Eu3+-doped zinc borate glass (ZBG) fibers and Si-photodiodes. Europium-doped ZBG shows highly efficient emission (613 nm) from Eu3+ by irradiation with high-energy UV light. The Eu3+-doped ZBG fiber converts the incoming UV light into visible light of 613 nm and guides it to a silicon photodiode. Eu3+-doped ZBG fibers ZnxB1—xO1.5—0.5x of varying composition (x = 0.33–0.52) were produced by the melt spinning method from glass melt in air atmosphere. The fibers were then connected to the silicon photodiode surface. The wavelength of maximum sensitivity of our detector is in the far ultraviolet and can be varied between 240 and 270 nm by changing the Zn content in the glass matrix.