{"id":187,"date":"2016-05-23T09:21:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-23T09:21:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/?page_id=187"},"modified":"2026-05-14T09:03:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T09:03:44","slug":"services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/services\/","title":{"rendered":"Sensing Technologies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sensing Capabilities<\/h2>\n
\n

Nanovation\u2019s optical sensing activities are structured around four complementary development axes, all based on the same discrete (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083 photodetector technology, and reflecting a logical progression from device\u2011level sensing to array\u2011level proof\u2011of\u2011concepts and system\u2011level implementation:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Discrete solar\u2011blind UVC photodetectors (TRL<\/em>\u202f7<\/em>\u20138)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. UVC imaging systems based on detector arrays (TRL<\/em>\u202f5<\/em>\u20136)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Discrete X\u2011ray and high\u2011energy photon detectors (TRL<\/em>\u202f3<\/em>\u20134)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. X\u2011ray detection array proof\u2011of\u2011concept (TRL<\/em>\u202f2<\/em>\u20133)<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    This structure reflects both the relative maturity of each activity and their position within Nanovation\u2019s sensing roadmap.<\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    1. Discrete Solar-Blind UVC Photodetectors (TRL 7-8)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

    Nanovation develops and characterises (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083\u2011based solar\u2011blind UVC photodetectors addressing applications that require intrinsic spectral selectivity, very low dark signal, and stable electrical behaviour.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Electrical performance and reproducibility<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    • Dark signal: typically in the pA range under nominal operating bias, and below measurable noise levels for certain device configurations<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Spectral selectivity: intrinsic solar blindness with UVC\/near\u2011UV rejection ratios >\u202f10\u00b3 and UVC\/visible rejection ratios >\u202f10\u2075, without the need for external optical filtering<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Reproducibility: highly consistent electrical and optical performance across full wafers and packaged batches, enabling reliable binning of devices<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Temporal response and stability<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      • Time response: fast and reproducible rise and fall times suitable for dynamic UVC sensing<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Short\u2011term stability: continuous illumination tests demonstrating <\u202f1\u202f% variation in responsivity over several hours<\/span><\/li>\n
      • Operational repeatability: stable photoresponse under repeated illumination cycling<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Taken together, these characteristics support advanced UVC sensing where background rejection and signal fidelity are critical.<\/span><\/p>\n

        \u2192 UVC photodetector specifications (PUVC220)<\/span><\/p>\n

         <\/p>\n

        2. UVC Imaging systems Based on Detector Arrays (TRL 5-6)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

        Building directly on the discrete UVC photodetector technology described above, Nanovation develops UVC imaging systems based on arrays of (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083 photodetectors.<\/span><\/p>\n

        These activities do not introduce new sensing physics; instead, they extend the same discrete detectors to array\u2011level and system\u2011level implementations.<\/span><\/p>\n

        System\u2011level capabilities<\/span><\/p>\n

        UVC imaging demonstrators enable:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        • evaluation of uniformity and reproducibility across detector arrays<\/span><\/li>\n
        • system\u2011level assessment of noise, background rejection, and readout behaviour<\/span><\/li>\n
        • identification and mitigation of array\u2011level non\u2011idealities such as crosstalk<\/span><\/li>\n
        • validation of sensing concepts under application\u2011relevant optical conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          These systems correspond to TRL\u202f5\u20136, with remaining development risks primarily related to integration, scaling, and system engineering, rather than the underlying sensing principle.<\/span><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          3. Discrete X-Ray and High energy Photon Detectors (TRL 3-4)<\/h2>\n

          In parallel with UVC activities, Nanovation develops (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083\u2011based discrete detectors for X\u2011ray and high\u2011energy photon detection, with a particular emphasis on ultra\u2011low\u2011dose sensitivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

          Low\u2011dose detection capability<\/span><\/p>\n

          These detectors exhibit:<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          • exceptionally low dark signal and noise levels<\/span><\/li>\n
          • high sensitivity under low photon flux conditions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            This performance regime approaches or exceeds the state\u2011of\u2011the\u2011art for solid\u2011state wide\u2011bandgap X\u2011ray detectors, enabling detection in scenarios where dose minimisation or photon scarcity is a critical constraint.<\/span><\/p>\n

            Envisaged application domains<\/span><\/p>\n

            Such low\u2011dose capability opens pathways toward:<\/span><\/p>\n

              \n
            • medical and biomedical X\u2011ray detection, where patient dose reduction is essential<\/span><\/li>\n
            • soft X\u2011ray and low\u2011flux scientific instrumentation<\/span><\/li>\n
            • non\u2011destructive evaluation of radiation\u2011sensitive or fragile materials<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              At present, these activities correspond to TRL\u202f3\u20134, with device concepts and architectures validated at laboratory level.<\/span><\/p>\n

               <\/p>\n

              4. X-Ray Detection Array Proof-of-Concept (TRL 2-3)\u00a0<\/h2>\n

              Beyond discrete detector development, Nanovation has demonstrated a monolithic multi\u2011pixel X\u2011ray detection array, implemented as a 4\u202f\u00d7\u202f4 (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083 sensor architecture and experimentally evaluated at pixel level.<\/span><\/p>\n

              In this configuration:<\/span><\/p>\n

                \n
              • individual pixels within a monolithic array were addressed and tested<\/span><\/li>\n
              • early array\u2011level behaviour and operability were experimentally assessed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                At this stage, the activity represents an array\u2011level proof\u2011of\u2011concept rather than a complete imaging system.<\/span><\/p>\n

                Key developments remaining include:<\/span><\/p>\n

                  \n
                • dedicated array\u2011level packaging<\/span><\/li>\n
                • optical and mechanical integration<\/span><\/li>\n
                • array\u2011specific readout and interconnection architectures<\/span><\/li>\n
                • extended electrical and functional testing at assembly level<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  The current maturity therefore corresponds to TRL\u202f2\u20133, bridging technology concept formulation and experimental proof\u2011of\u2011concept at the monolithic array scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

                  (A representative image of the 4<\/em>\u202f<\/em>\u00d7<\/em>\u202f4 X\u2011ray detection array is shown below.)<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

                   <\/p>\n

                  Application Evidence<\/h2>\n

                  The sensing capabilities described above underpin a range of application studies documented in use\u2011case publications, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

                    \n
                  • solar\u2011blind UVC sensing and imaging for fire and flame detection<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • UVC communication and line\u2011of\u2011sight\u2011independent optical signalling<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • environmental and atmospheric UVC monitoring<\/span><\/li>\n
                  • low\u2011dose and high\u2011energy photon detection in scientific instrumentation<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                     <\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Sensing Capabilities Nanovation\u2019s optical sensing activities are structured around four complementary development axes, all based on the same discrete (Al)Ga\u2082O\u2083 photodetector technology, and reflecting a logical progression from device\u2011level sensing to array\u2011level proof\u2011of\u2011concepts and system\u2011level implementation: Discrete solar\u2011blind UVC photodetectors (TRL\u202f7\u20138) UVC imaging systems based on detector arrays (TRL\u202f5\u20136) Discrete X\u2011ray and high\u2011energy photon detectors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-187","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=187"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/187\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nanovation.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=187"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}