Silicon-based ultraviolet photodetection : progress and prospects

Silicon-based photodetectors are beneficial for their reliability, integration, scalability and low cost. However, due to their shallow penetration depth for UV radiation, conventional silicon devices have very limited ultraviolet responses. Motivated by the progress of silicon-based semiconductor processing techniques and nanoscience, UV-enhanced silicon-based photodetectors have been well developed and broadly applied. In this paper, we review the progress of this technology, its materials, its processing techniques and its applications in astrophysics, biochemical analysis and corona detection, and discuss the challenges and future prospects of silicon-based UV detection in sensitive imaging technologies.