Towed-array Operator Performance Support System (TOPSS)

The objective of this Phase II program is to achieve a commercial solar blind AlxGa1-xN based p-i-n ultraviolet (UV) photodetector product, with high solar blindness, high external quantum efficiency and low dark currents. The Phase II work will buildupon the results obtained from the completed Phase I project, which showed the feasibility of the proposed lateral epitaxial overgrowth approach to reduce defects in AlxGa1-xN based materials.The Phase II work plan will consist of further improving the AlxGa1-xN material quality, in terms of crack reduction and doping enhancement, modeling and designing the optimum device structures, developing reflectivity coatings for improved deviceperformance, as well as developing the packaging technology for solar blind AlxGa1-xN based UV photodiodes.Such optoelectronic devices will benefit the Navy and other DoD offices in numerous application areas such as early missile threat warning, UV countermeasures, portable battlefield chemical/biological warfare analysis, flame detection, flamecombustion/engine control and monitoring, and nuclear reactors. These optoelectronic components will also enjoy a large number of commercial and dual-use applications. In addition, the research work conducted during this Phase II project will directlyimpact the development of other key Navy technologies such as high power microwave electronics and solid state compact UV light sources.