S-CALe Up - Self-calibrating photodiodes for UV and exploitation of induced junction technology

This EURAMET project 22IEM06 S-CALe Up aims to improve self-induced PQED trap detectors with a record low external quantum deficiency below 10 ppm were developed for the 400 nm to 850 nm spectral range. Simplified 3D simulation models were developed and new experimental techniques where simulation fitting to experimental photocurrent measurement at only one wavelength was proven to be sufficient to predict the responsivity from 400 nm to 850 nm. In previous projects, quantum yield (QY) was found significant at wavelengths as high as 470 nm and to increase with decreasing wavelength. However, the quantum yield was also found calculable to an uncertainty around 200 ppm down to 360 nm. Current 3D simulation capabilities are limited to one NMI, on one type of software, with known limiting simplifications due to calculation speed and the current TRL-level in the 400 nm – 850 nm spectral range is around 3 to 4.

Objectives of the project

The overall objective is to demonstrate the use of improved PQED detectors and associated technology as an NMI-on-a-chip in various photonics applications and to develop models and improved detector manufacturing techniques in order to provide improved traceability into the more challenging UV and NIR spectral range.

  1. To develop 3D simulation models of photodiode charge carrier transportation in Predictable Quantum Efficient Detectors (PQED) for better physical representation, higher calculation speed, wider availability and improved uncertainty approaching 1 ppm between 500 nm and 900 nm, and to extend the quantum yield prediction from 400 nm down to 250 nm with an uncertainty better than 0.1 % and better than 0.2 % from 250 nm to 200 nm.
  2. To use PQEDs with very low spectral responsivity uncertainty in the 400 nm to 850 nm range as built-in references in different applications (e.g. optical power measurement, fibre optics, pulsed laser radiation, photometry without V(λ) filters) taking into account practical aspects, such as current measurements, stray light, geometry, heat and dark current variations.
  3. To develop and fabricate improved photodiodes for the UV range and validate their stability and suitability as a spectral responsivity standard from 400 nm to 200 nm. Additionally, to develop thermal simulations and packaging technology of dual-mode detectors with heat equivalence better than 0.03 % suitable for implementation at any wavelength over the spectral range from 200 nm to 1000 nm.
  4. To extend the spectral response range of photodiodes between i) 200 nm and 400 nm, and ii) 850 nm and 1050 nm, with a target uncertainty better than 0.2 %. For this, the improved detectors and packaging developed in objective 3, and improved charge carrier simulation and quantum yield modelling developed in objective 1, will be used.
  5. To demonstrate the establishment of an integrated European metrology infrastructure and to facilitate the take up of the technology and measurement infrastructure developed in the project by the measurement supply chain (accredited laboratories, instrument manufacturers) , standards developing organisations (CIE), technical committees (e.g. EURAMET TC-PR, CCPR) and end users (photonics industry).

    6. Animation video describing PQED


    Project news
    • February 28-29 2024: M9 meeting at Sintef, Oslo, Norway.
    • June 6-7 2023: Kick-off meeting at Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.
    Collaborators and Stakeholders

    Your opinion and support are important to us. If you would like to influence the outcome and follow the progress of the project closer, register as a Stakeholder. Contact either Farshid Manoocheri (WP Impact) or Jarle Gran (Coordinator). The contact details can be found on the Contact page of the website. Below you can find downloadable content of the project that is aimed at all Stakeholders and Collaborators of the project. New material will be regularly added here or on the Results 'page of the website. The official publishable summary of the project will be updated throughout the project, whenever new updates are available.