Photodiodes for Radon Detection

Excelitas is fully committed to enabling the success of our global customers by delivering innovative, high-performance, market-driven photonics solutions. For decades, we have remained committed to living out our mission as a leading manufacturer of photonics solutions to serve our customers worldwide. As part of this commitment, Excelitas proudly offers the VTH21 Series of photodiodes in chip form designed to enable the optimal detection of alpha particles like radon gas. This series features low-capacitance silicon photodiodes in a robust chip design to provide high responsivity to radioactive particles. These enhanced detection capabilities enable the fast detection of radiation of interest, producing safer controlled environments in their respective applications.

Photodiodes are semiconductor devices capable of detecting light and converting it into electrical signals for a wide range of applications. This is done by absorbing photons of light and generating electron-hole pairs in the semiconductor in order to produce a current when separated by an electric field. The photonic detection capabilities of photodiodes can be applied in systems that require the detection of light signals and radiation, particularly in detecting the presence of radon in the following ways:

• Alpha Particle Detectors: Equipment that detect the presence of alpha particles during the decay of radon gas
• Scintillation Detectors: Devices that detect the presence of radon gas through the light emitted when a scintillator interacts with radon gas alpha particles

Excelitas offers a series of low-capacitance silicon photodiodes in the form of the VTH21 family of photodiodes designed for enhanced radon detection capabilities in various applications. These include the VTH2110 and the VTH2120, with both being available in chip form and having a spectral response between 400 nm and 1100 nm. They also have similar functionalities and specifications as they are both:

• Optimized for alpha particle detection
• Supplied in chip form
• Low capacitance
• Low dark current
• Radiation resistant
• RoHS compliant

The main difference between the two chips is their main activation area, with the VTH2110 and the VTH2120 having activation areas of 5 x 5 mm² (25 mm²) and 10 x 10 mm² (100 mm²), respectively.  

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is useful in many applications, such as radiation therapy, geological surveys and research, among many others. Because of its ubiquity in various industries, radon testing has become absolutely essential to prevent exposure to radioactive elements. With this in mind, photodiodes can be quite helpful in the following applications:

• Nuclear power plants
• Laboratories
• Research
• Healthcare
• Environmental monitoring
• Geological surveys
• Construction
• Mining
• Home Use

Excelitas Technologies has been a global leader in delivering innovative technological solutions that help our OEM customers and other industrial partners in achieving their business goals. As part of our commitment to quality and performance, we continue to implement the strictest standards in all the products we manufacture, including photodiodes used in various radon detection applications. While our off-the-shelf products were manufactured with efficiency and performance in mind, we also cater to customers with more specialized requirements. If you have custom specifications in mind for photodiode solutions, communicate them to us so we can accommodate your orders. Rest assured that your custom orders will follow the same strict quality standards we apply to our industry-leading products.