Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Gallium Nitride Detector

In response to the HSARPA need for the development of high quantum efficiency, fast photon counting detectors to read UV/visible light emitted by scintillators under gamma radiation, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor Gallium Nitride (MISGaN) detector that will have high sensitivity in the UV region for use with cerium-doped crystal scintillator materials for gamma radiation detection. The solid-state, time-gated MISGaN will operate at lower voltage, have high sensitivity in the UV/blue region, cover a much larger area (3-5 in.) and be producible with a lower cost than vacuum photomultiplier tube (PMT) detectors, and will be rugged and shock and magnetic field insensitive. In Phase I POC will build and test a prototype based on commercially available GaN layers on 2 in. wafer substrates to show the advantages of MISGaN over PMTs. The Phase II MISGaN prototype will be fabricated on a base of 4-5 in. wafers. Complete detectors will be assembled with a charge sensitive amplifier. Readout electronics will be assembled at POC with detectors in a portable housing, and the engineering prototype will be demonstrated at POC facilities with a Ce-doped scintillator and test gamma source.