Stability and quantum efficiency performance of silicon photodiode detectors in the far ultraviolet

Recent improvements in silicon photodiode fabrication technology have resulted in the production of photodiodes which are stable after prolonged exposure to short wavelength radiation and which have efficiencies in the far ultraviolet close to those predicted using a value of 3.63 eV for electron-hole pair production in Si. Quantum efficiency and stability data are presented in the 6-124-eV region for several variations on the basic successful design and on devices with extremely thin silicon dioxide antireflecting/passivating layers. The results indicate that the oxide is dominant in determining many of the performance parameters and that a stable efficient far ultraviolet diode can be fabricated by careful control of the Si-SiO(2) interface quality.