Avalanche photodiodes for high-resolution UV imaging applications

High resolution imaging in the UV band has a lot of applications in Defense and Commercial Applications. The shortest wavelength is desired for spatial resolution which allows for small pixels and large formats. UVAPD's have been demonstrated as discrete devices demonstrating gain. The next frontier is to develop UV APD arrays with high gain to demonstrate high resolution imaging. We also disuses our recent efforts on development of APD's using MOCVD of GaN/ AlGaN. We present an analytical model that can predict sensor performance in the UV band using p-i-n or APD detectors with and without gain and other detector and sensor parameters for a desired UV band of interest. SNR's can be modeled from illuminated targets at various distances with high resolution under standard MODTRAN atmospheres in the UV band using detector arrays with unity gain and with high gain APD along with continuous or pulsed UV lasers.