UV is our Business

UV Photodiodes

active area from 0.06 mm² to 36 mm² and quadrant photodiodes for position detections
spectral response for broadband UV or filtered for UVA, UVB, UVC or UV-Index
various entrance optics and housings options available (TO or SMD)
our own SiC photodiode chip production since 2009
also available with VUV sensitivity
PTB (German equivalent of NIST or NPL) measured high radiation hardness
350°C high temperature stable photodiodes available
photodiode application guide

All photodiodes are always on stock, no minimum order quantity. They can be ordered via our web shop or with an email addressed to welcome@sglux.de or from DigiKey. Alternatively, we are happy to issue a quotation or you may click on our shop’s QUOTATION function, instead of CHECKOUT.

We also offer the option of finding photodiodes directly for your application using a product finder with parameter filters.

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Showing 91–91 of 91 results

SG01XXL-8ISO90
UVA+UVB+UVC, chip active area = 36.00 mm², TO8 short cap, isolatedSingle Price: 3708€Product Description
- UV broadband (UVA+UVB+UVC)
- 36.00 mm² detector area
- flat TO8 hermetically sealed metal housing , two isolated pins, one additional grounded pin
- 10 µW/cm² irradiation at 280 nm (peak responsivity) results a current of approx. 576 nA
- SiC chip with PTB reported high radiation hardness

We gladly advise you on this product

Romana Sonnenberg
Dipl.-Ing.

+49 (0) 30 53015211

Tilman Weiss
Dr.-Ing.

+49 (0) 30 53015211

UV Photodiodes FAQ

Why are there photodiodes with different chip active areas?

Summary:
Decreasing irradiance requires increasing chip active area. If the irradiance to be measured is unknown, an L-chip photodiode should be used for prototypes.
Detailed answer:
The active area of the chip determines how many photons can be collected by a photodetector. Semiconductor detectors, such as SiC UV photodiodes, convert photons into an electrical current, the photocurrent I. This photocurrent increases linearly with the irradiance and the active area of the chip. Since the price of the detector increases with the active area, the choice of area is essentially a compromise between cost and photocurrent. If you know the minimum and maximum irradiance you wish to measure with the UV photodiode, the following simplified formula gives a rough estimate of the photocurrent I for a given chip active area AChip. I=Achip *Eλ *1000 where I is the photocurrent in nA, A is the active chip area in mm² (enter values of 0.06 or 0.2 or 0.5 or 1 or 1.82 or 7.6 or 36) and Eλ is the spectral irradiance of the UV light source you like to measure in mW/cm². The minimum current (photodiode output at the lowest irradiance to be measured) should not be less than 500pA. If you do not know Eλ, the L-chip (1.00mm²) type photodiode should be used for a first evaluation step.

When do I need a broadband photodiode and when do I need filtered photodiodes for UVA, UVB, UVC or UV index?

Summary:
For UV measurement, unfiltered broadband SiC is used by default
Detailed answer:
By default, unfiltered broadband SiC is used for UV measurements. If a UV source also emits radiation that must not contribute to the sensor’s signal (e.g. UV medium pressure lamps used for water or air purification that also emit non-germicidal UV radiation), a filtered SiC detector (UVC, UVB+C or UVA only) should be selected.

Which photodiode do I use for 185nm and 172nm?

Summary:
Our SiC-VUV photodiodes are used here.
Detailed answer:
Our standard SiC photodiodes only have a low sensitivity below 220nm. Below approx. 200nm they have they no longer have any sensitivity. For applications where radiation below 220nm needs to be measured, our VUV (“vaccum UV”) photodiodes are used. Typical applications are the destruction (cracking) of organic carbons in fat or in water (TOC) at 185nm or the matting of paints at 172nm. VUV photodiodes are also used to monitor PFAS photolysis.

Do you produce SMD type photodiodes?

Summary:
Yes, but we do not recommend their use.
Detailed answer:
Yes, we manufacture 3535 SMD type photodiodes (ceramic package), but we recommend the use of metal TO photodiodes. The packaging and hermetic sealing of photodiode chips in metal TO housings with a fused glass window is a mature and extremely reliable process that has been in use for more than 50 years. A TO-packaged sglux SiC UV photodiode is usually the most reliable and durable component in a product, even when exposed to very high UV radiation or operated at high temperature levels. However, recent progress in the development of long life UV LEDs, also in the UVC range, allow UV low pressure tubes to be replaced by these LEDs, resulting in a significant potential reduction in product dimensions. The miniaturization of products such as UV transmittance measurement modules or point-of-use LED UVC disinfection modules allows our customers to move into new areas of application. Sometimes our TO-packaged UV photodiodes are considered too bulky. Our SiC SMD photodiode range is designed for these applications. The package consists of a ceramic body with a mineral window glass to make these SMD photodiodes as reliable as possible. However, TO type photodiodes remain the best choice in terms of durability, reliability and price.

You produce photodiodes with 2 pins and with 3 pins. What is the third pin good for?

Summary:
By default, 2-pin photodiodes are used.
Detailed answer:
By default, 2-pin photodiodes are used. One pin is connected to the metal body of the photodiode and to the anode. The other pin is isolated and connected to the cathode. A 3-pin photodiode is characterized by two isolated pins (connected to the anode and cathode) and one pin connected to the metal case. The 3-pin photodiode is used if the photodiode package is in contact with metal components of the customer's product.

What is the response time of a SiC photodiode?

Summary:
The response time is about 190ps (FWHM).
Detailed answer:
At the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, investigations were carried out on pulse excitation with 266 nm fs laser pulses. The response time of the measured SiC photodiodes is determined by a decay constant of 7 ns at 0 V BIAS voltage. At a maximum BIAS voltage of -160 V, this converges in an exponential relationship towards 3.5 ns. The rise time could not be measured precisely with the available setup, but is faster than 80 ps (sigma), i.e. approx. 190 ps (FWHM).

What about the saturation of the photodiodes?

Summary:
An S-chip type photodiode saturates at around 4.2 kW/cm². Such a high irradiance is very unusual.
Detailed answer:
The saturation current Isat of a photodiode is determined by its open circuit voltage VOC and its series resistance RS according to the formula: Isat = VOC / RS A typical value (SiC photodiode) for VOC is 2.0 V and for RS = 5 Ohm. This gives Isat = 2.0 V / 5 Ohm = 0.4 A = 400 mA. The saturation radiant intensity z is calculated using the formula below: z = Isat / (S * A) Where S is the sensitivity of a photodiode and A is the active area. A typical value for S is 0.16 A/W and A = 0.06 mm² (valid for SG01S). This gives: zsat = 0.4 A / (0.160 A/W * 6 * 10-8 m²) = approx. 42 MW/m² = 4.2 kW/cm². Such a high irradiance is very unusual. However, some laser measurement applications can reach such irradiance levels for short periods of time. This may affect the output current of the photodiode. Please contact us for further information.

Is the photodiode waterproof?

Summary:
Yes.
Detailed answer:
Yes, the photodiode is hermetically sealed and, accordingly, water pressure proof. However, the rear side contact pins must not get in contact with water our moisture. This will influence the photodiode’s output current.

Why are SiC photodiodes significantly more expensive than other UV photodiodes?

Summary:
Because SiC UV photodiodes are technically far superior to other UV photodiodes based on Si or AlGaN.
Detailed answer:
Si- or AlGaN-based photodiodes are available at prices of around EUR 1 or lower. The cost of a SiC UV photodiode is significantly higher (from EUR 10). SiC UV photodiodes are used when there must be no problems with radiation hardness (degradation, drift) during operation. This applies to industrial applications, capital goods, and medical technology. SiC UV photodiodes are also used when perfect "visible blindness" or long-term stability at high temperatures or a very low temperature coefficient in the UVC region is required. Other applications (consumer, wearables, gadgets), etc. work well with low cost UV photodiodes.

VOLTCON

Transducer photocurrent-to-voltage 0 - 5 V, four different measurement ranges available: 500 pA, 50 nA, 5 µA and 500 µA, also available with enclosure, power supply and calibrationTransducer photocurrent-to-voltage 0 - 5 VSingle Price: 59€Product Description
- transducer photocurrent-to-voltage 0 – 5 V
- maximum photocurrent: 500 µA, 5 µA, 50 nA or 500 pA
- new version (“advanced”) with improved features (see data sheet) now available. However, repeat orders should use the “legacy” version, as the adjustment options differ (legacy = 0% … -100% downwards and advanced adjustment upwards by factor of 5.5).
- also available with enclosure, power supply and calibration
AMPCON

Transducer photocurrent-to-current 4 – 20 mA, three different measurement ranges available: 25 nA, 2.5 µA and 250 µATransducer (current amplifier) with output current 4 to 20 mASingle Price: 59€Product Description
- transmitter (current amplifier) with output current 4 to 20 mA
- to include photodiodes into an industrial 4 to 20 mA data bus
- maximum photocurrent: 250 µA, 2.5 µA or 25 nA
Multiboard (TW-MF2CAB)

Two-channel photocurrent-to-voltage transducer 0 – 4 V, jumper selectable measurement ranges from 400 nA to 40 µA. Best suited for experiments where the photocurrent to be measured is yet unknown. Universal dual channel photodiode transducerSingle Price: 99€Product Description
- universal dual channel photodiode transducer
- measuring range from 400 nA range up to 400 µA
- versatile configuration possible
- well suited for experimental setups and small series
Digiboard

Transducer for the conversion of a photocurrent to a voltage of 0 - 3 V or a photocurrent to a frequency. The programmable limit switch with hysteresis allows the Digiboard to be used as a simple controller unit. The measurement ranges from 300 nA to 30 µA can be configured by jumpers. A potentiometer allows trimming of the voltage output to a defined value. The frequency output offers a high dynamic range of 6 decades.Versatile dual channel current to voltage converting amplifierSingle Price: 149€Product Description
- versatile dual channel current to voltage converting amplifier
- one analog and one frequency output
SGCD4

The SGCD4 is a switchable gain photocurrent digitizer that converts small DC currents (e.g. generated by photodiodes) into digital values transmitted via USB to a computer for displaying and recording. Four different current measurement ranges are user selectable by software. The device is delivered with a PTB traceable current calibration.switchable gain photocurrent digitizer, converts small DC currents into digital values, different current measurement rangesSingle Price: 520€Product Description
- switchable gain photocurrent digitizer, converting small DC currents (e.g. generated by photodiodes) into digital values transmitted via USB to a computer for displaying and recording
- four switchable gain levels
- no specific previous metrological knowledge needed
- delivered with a PTB traceable current calibration
- low noise cable available on request
Mounted photodiode

Photodiode in housing with BNC connectionPhotodiode in housing with BNC connectionSingle Price: 180€Product Description
- Photodiode in M12x1 housing with BNC connection
- Suitable for all sglux UV photodiodes
- A mounting plate for optical benches is optionally available.
- An integrated shunt resistor is optionally available, resistance value according to customer specifications.
RADIKON-simple

The Radikon-Simple bases on a VOLTCON or AMPCON and comes with a rugged shielded housing with BNC connector.External amplifier box to convert the photocurrentSingle Price: 155€Product Description
- external amplifier box to convert the photocurrent of photodiodes or the sglux UV-Cure-HT sensor
- signal output 0 – 5 V, 4 – 20 mA or USB
- the gain is configured customer-specifically
- the module is also available with calibration
- robust, shielded housing with BNC input
SENSOR MONITOR 5.0

Measurement module for monitoring of irradiation processes. The device provides the display of irradiance and dose information for up to two UV sensors as well as three programmable relays for control of multi-stage irradiation processes.Measurement module for monitoring of irradiation processesSingle Price: 490€Product Description
- measurement module for monitoring irradiation processes
- indication of radiation, dose and status information
- optionally available with two measurement inputs
- additional functions for which we do not offer support:
  – three programmable relays for automation of single- and multi-level irradiation processes
  – optionally available with USB/RS232 output
Photodiode Amplifier Connect

The Photodiode Amplifier Dual is based on the Digiboard and comes with a rugged shielded housing, well suited for experimental setups.Photocurrent amplifier with integrated relay outputSingle Price: 450€Product Description
- photocurrent amplifier with integrated relay output
- conversion of photocurrent into a 0 … 5 V output signal
- maximum photocurrent: 100 pA … 40 µA
- suited for experimental setups in measurement laboratories