We offer SiC (silicon carbide) photodiodes, probes and UV sensor solutions. Our SiC products are made and packaged in Germany by our partner, sglux GmbH. SiC photodiodes from sglux have the best aging properties under powerful Hg-lamp irradiation. Comparison of SiC photodiodes and AlGaN detectors were done by the German PTB (equivalent to NIST in USA); a summary of the report can be seen in the Characterization tab on this page.
Our UV product lines consist of discretely packaged photodiodes, photodiodes integrated with preamplifiers (TOCONs), environmentally sealed sensors (probes), controllers & instrumentation, and calibration services for your photodiodes.
SiC Photodiodes
Our SiC photodiodes are used in a wide range of UV-related applications including:
Potable, waste, and non-drinking water purification
Disinfecting
Flame detection
Solar UV monitoring
UV Index sensors
Ink and coating curing
Laboratory instrumentation
Lithographic processes
TOCONs – integrated photodiode and amplifier
Higher gain than with discrete components is an advantage of our TOCON sensors. Every UV measurement set-up includes a sensor, an amplifier, a read out and a means to power the amplifier and read out. In addition it may include a sensor housing and interconnecting cables. Of these items, the most difficult and time consuming to “do yourself” is the amplifier. We offer a very simple solution consisting of SiC UV photodiode in a TO-39 package with the amplifier in the package – the TOCON-series of UV Hybrids. Add 5 volts DC and a simple voltmeter and you can immediately sense and quantify UV.
UV Probes – for industrial applications
We offer UV sensor probes with various custom-designed optics, housings, electronics (analog or digital) and spectral response options. The applications of UV sensor probes are quite varied and include use and survival at high temperatures, sun intensity, in rain, under water as well as in normal environments. Therefore the required optics, environmental endurance, spectral responsivity and electronic output interface must be tailored for individual conditions of use. We will work closely with you to ensure you have the right UV probe for your application.
Radiometers, Instrumentation & Accessories
Our radiometers, controllers, loggers and accessories are used to visualize, store and compute information obtained from the sglux UV sensing components. Applications are reference radiometers and control/display units. The data loggers allow long term UV irradiation logging in harsh environments.
Transducers
Our transducers transform low photocurrents from photodiodes to robust standard signals for reliable data transmission and simple data acquisition. Different models output current, voltage or digital signals.
UV Index (UVI) Measurement Solutions
Our range of UVI measurement solutions include fixed and portable radiometers, environmentally hardened probes, amplified sensors and photodiodes. Measurements are in accordance with UVI ISO 17166 which quantifies the risk of sunburn (Erythema Solare) at a given solar UV exposure spectrum.
Calibration Services
The UV calibration services at sglux determines the spectral responsivity of UV irradiance sensors, integral irradiance sensitivity of UV irradiance sensors, spectral emission spectrum of UV sources and transmission. The calibration laboratory is ISO 9001 certified, and uses different traceable transfer standards (to NIST or PTB). Calibration services are according to guidance DAkkS-DKD-MB-3 and DIN/ISO 17025.
Product Information
We have an extensive amount of product information on this site grouped into types of sensors as well as UV bands of interest. Select the product categories below to learn more about our UV sensing solutions.
UV Light Emitting Diodes (UV-LED)
We also provide high power, high reliability UV-LED. After you have selected your superior sglux UV sensor, review our UV-LED products.
SiC photodiodes from sglux have the best aging properties under powerful Hg-lamp irradiation. Comparison of SiC photodiodes and AlGaN detectors were done by the German PTB (equivalent to NIST in USA); the report is summarized in the chart below. Click here, or the chart below for a PDF file of the chart.
Our Sensor Solutions catalog is a good place to start to understand the wide range of products available to meet your UV sensing requirements. Discussion on performance, wavebands and product configuration for all the sglux product lines can be found here.
Our products are generally modular and range from the production of SiC photodiode wafers, SiC photodiodes, SiC hybrid circuits (TOCONs), UV measuring probes and UV measuring instruments to the handling of calibration services. Based on our extensive standard product range, we can provide customer-specific variants even in small quantities.
Photodiodes with properties according to customer’s requirements
sglux produces SiC UV photodiodes from their own semiconductor production. These chips still have good sensitivity below 200nm and can therefore be used for measurements at e.g. 185nm or 172nm. SiC is known to be exceptionally radiation hard and temperature resistant. Furthermore, it has excellent insensitivity to visible light and IR radiation. These chips are refined to perfection by our extensive know-how in the field of packaging technology and the development of optical filters. A strong team stands behind the quality of the more than 100 different UV photodiodes always in stock and inspires our customers with effective and targeted implementation of customized special setups, e.g. for the monitoring of UVC LEDs as used in air and water disinfection or in the design, testing and series production of multispectral photodiodes, e.g. UV & IR.
TOCON with customized product range extension
TOCONs are SiC photodiodes in TO5 package with integrated transimpedance amplifier, which converts the photocurrent into a 0-5V measuring voltage. The TOCONs are standard products, in currently 55 variants, which are all in stock in at least medium quantities at any time. Depending on the variant, the components must be able to detect UV radiation in the range of 13 orders of magnitude – from a few pW/cm2 for UVC fire detection to several tens of W/cm2 for UV curing processes. In some cases, they must be able to reliably withstand high temperatures and vibrations. Behind the TOCONs is a team of electronic and optical engineers who maintain and continuously improve the series. We regularly carry out special adaptations for our customers. These can be, for example, non-saturating TOCONs with a logarithmic gain curve or TOCONs specially designed for fire detection in vehicle engines (adaptation of the dynamic behavior), which can be used up to 120°C. An important current application-specific modification are also special TOCONs for flame monitoring in novel hydrogen home heaters.
UV Probes with optimized measurement for the application
sglux’s measuring probes mostly consist of a robust metal body with radiation input and signal output. The core task of an sglux measuring probe is absolute reliability and reproducible measured values over many years – in adverse environmental conditions such as strong temperature fluctuations, high water pressure or extreme UV radiation, often in combination.
Each of these probes contains a SiC photodiode as well as optical and electronic components. sglux can rapidly assemble more than 400 different probe variants – adapted to the respective application – from components that are always in stock.
Even if the 400 different standard variants can cover a large part of the applications in industry and research, customers can get solutions specially adapted to their specific environmental conditions, such as a probe that controls a UV curing process while being exposed to contamination by dusts and vapors in addition to very high temperatures.
UV radiometers adapted to customers requirements and new standards
Based on a sglux sensor, our UV radiometers serve as a reference in industry and research. “Measure-Understand- Evaluate” is the sglux motto for their instruments whose software and display logic are adapted to the specific customer requirements by our IT engineers. This flexible and rapid response to the specific application is our unique selling point in the market of UV measuring instruments.
A practical example is the risk assessment at the workplace due to UVC radiation. The“Safester UVC” not only provides the measured value in numbers, but the measured value is also converted by means of a special algorithm taken from a standard into clear recommendations for action or hazard information (e.g. intuitively understandable pictograms or graphics), which can also be easily understood and followed by untrained personnel. To equip the UV-Index measuring network of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), sglux produce low- maintenance autonomous UV index measuring stations, which send the measured values to a central server via the mobile network. The power supply is provided by solar cells. sglux are currently carrying out scientific work in the field of UV measuring equipment in cooperation with the Federal Institute for Materials Research (BAM). This involves the development of a UV sensor- based module for detecting organic compounds on the basis of their ozone-excited UV emission.
Calibration with implementation according to customer’s specifications
Throughout the period from 2008 to 2018, sglux were allowed to learn our craft thoroughly in several governmental funded projects by the Physikalisch-Technische-Bundesanstalt in Braunschweig (PTB), Department 4.11 Spectroradiometry.
Together with the PTB, for example, the world’s first calibration standard for strong UV radiation was created, which now sets standards at the PTB, at the Technology Center for Water in the DVGW (TZW) and at sglux and serves as an international reference for strong UV radiation. In principle every calibration order is a customized project – with its individual challenges. In the course of this work, their laboratory is constantly being expanded and improved, so that almost all the different UV radiation sources and processes required for calibration work are now established in-house.
For a overview explanation of UV Index please see the UV Index Video on our YouTube page.
amplifier, a read out and a means to power the amplifier and read out. In addition it may include a sensor housing and interconnecting cables. Of these items, the most difficult and time consuming to “do yourself” is the amplifier. We offer a very simple solution consisting of SiC UV photodiode in a TO-39 package with the amplifier in the package – the TOCON-series of UV Hybrids. Add 5 volts DC and a simple voltmeter and you can immediately sense and quantify UV.
optics, housings, electronics (analog or digital) and spectral response options. The applications of UV sensor probes are quite varied and include use and survival at high temperatures, sun intensity, in rain, under water as well as in normal environments. Therefore the required optics, environmental endurance, spectral responsivity and electronic output interface must be tailored for individual conditions of use. We will work closely with you to ensure you have the right UV probe for your application.
used to visualize, store and compute information obtained from the sglux UV sensing components. Applications are reference radiometers and control/display units. The data loggers allow long term UV irradiation logging in harsh environments.
