Lynx Eye: A High-Efficiency, High-Bandwidth Naval LIDAR Photodetector

LIDAR is used for understanding the operating environment for naval activity, where profiling LIDAR systems have been developed for detection of mines. One critical component of the system is a photodetector, and the proposed research will develop a high-performance detector for 400 – 500 nm light. Photomultiplier tubes have the bandwidth and signal amplification needed but are bulky and have poor quantum efficiency. Compact solid-state sensors made some wide-band gap semiconductors address these issues but tend to be noisy. The Phase-1 effort will identify the performance-limiting noise source, often associated with material quality, focusing on wide-band-gap Ga-based materials, such as GaP and AlGaAs, to reduce the room temperature dark current. The Phase-2 effort will develop a plan to mitigate the performance limitations and fabricate a high-efficiency, high-bandwidth photodetector prototype for Naval LIDAR.