Internal quantum efficiency of silicon photodetectors at ultraviolet wavelengths

We determine experimentally the internal quantum efficiency of a 3-element trap detector made of Hamamatsu S1337 photodiodes and of a predictable quantum efficient detector (PQED) over the wavelength range of 250–500 nm using an electrically calibrated pyroelectric radiometer as reference detector. The PQED is made of specially designed induced junction photodiodes, whose charge-carrier recombination losses are minimized. The determined internal quantum efficiency of PQED is always 1 or larger, whereas the 3-element trap detector has internal quantum efficiency smaller than 1 in the spectral range of 330–450 nm. This finding demonstrates the advantages of PQED photodiodes for studying the quantum yield due to impact ionization by charge carriers in the silicon lattice. For this purpose, we develop an extrapolation model for the charge-carrier recombination losses of the PQED, which allows us to separate the quantum yield from the measured internal quantum efficiency. Measurements of PQED spectral responsivity thus allow to determine the quantum yield in silicon, which can be further used for quantifying the charge-carrier recombination losses in the 3-element trap detector. Numerical values of the latter are from 6% to 2% in the spectral range from 250 nm to 380 nm. Finally, our results are encouraging for the aim of developing the PQED to a primary detector standard also at ultraviolet wavelengths.