UVdetektio

UVdetektio refers to the detection and measurement of ultraviolet radiation. It encompasses techniques and devices used to sense UV photons and quantify UV irradiance, fluence, or spectral content. The term is used across science, industry and environmental monitoring.

Detectors convert UV photons into electrical signals through photoconductive, photovoltaic, photoemissive, or scintillation processes. Common materials include gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN), and zinc oxide (ZnO). Silicon-based detectors can be optimized with UV-enhancing coatings. Detector formats include photodiodes, photomultiplier tubes, avalanche photodiodes, and UV cameras or dosimeters.

UV is typically grouped into UV-A (315–400 nm), UV-B (280–315 nm), and UV-C (100–280 nm). Detector choice depends on spectral range, required sensitivity, and environmental conditions. Calibration relies on traceable standards and reference sources such as deuterium lamps or calibrated monochromators to ensure accurate spectral response.

Applications include solar UV monitoring and UV-index reporting, environmental research, sterilization validation, polymer curing, flame and combustion monitoring, astronomical instrumentation, and biomedical imaging where UV excitation is involved. Portable UV meters and spectrometers enable field measurements, while UV cameras aid material inspection and surface analysis.

Challenges include material degradation under UV exposure, temperature sensitivity, and drift in spectral response. UV optics require UV-transparent materials and coatings, and instruments must minimize stray light. Cost, power consumption and robustness are important considerations for field devices.