RADIATION HARD PHOTODETECTORS FOR RING LASER GYROSCOPES

THIS PROPOSAL OFFERS TO MARRY TWO EXISTING DEVICES; A SPECIAL RADIATION TOLERANT SILICON PHOTODIODE DEVELOPED FOR LASER GYRO APPLICATIONS WITH A DIGICON PHOTOMULTIPLIER, TO CREATE A PHOTODETECTORWITH UNPRECIDENTED OPTICAL RESPONSIVITY AND INSENSITIVITY TO BACKGROUND RADIATION. THIS WILL ALSO RELAX THE REQUIREMENTS ON THE PHOTODETECTOR PREAMPLIFIER. WE EXPECT THE NET RESULT TO BE THE RADIATION INDUCED RLG INTERRUPT TIME WILL BE REDUCED BY A FACTOR OF 300. SUCH A DETECTOR IS USEFUL IN OTHER LOW LIGHT LEVEL AND HOSTILE ENVIRONMENTS, AND WOULD BE ALMOST IMMUNE TO NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAMS.