Selective UV detector as a combination of waveguide structures of Eu3+-doped zinc borate glasses with Si photodiode

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 berat e glass (ZBG) fibers and Si-photodiodes. Europium-doped ZBG shows highly ef ficient emission (613 nm) from Eu3+ by irradiation with high-energy UV ligh t. The Eu3+-doped ZBG fiber converts the incoming UV light into visible lig ht of 613 nm and guides it to a silicon photodiode. Eu3+-doped ZBG fibers Z nxB1-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 th en connected to the silicon photodiode surface. The wavelength of maximum s ensitivity of our detector is in the far ultraviolet and can be varied betw een 240 and 270 nm by changing the Zn content in the glass matrix.