The fundamental goal of the SOLARSiC project is to propose innovative solutions regarding both the experimental design and active materials with superior properties in order to fabricate Schottky diodes (SDs) and interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) based solar-blind photodetectors (SB PDs) with high sensitivity and reliability in UV domain. In this regard, the project will develop, on the one hand, new processes for obtaining innovative devices on SiC, and, on the other hand, it will propose a novel, cost-effective technology, for fabrication SiC-SB PDs, which enables future integration in electronic circuits and generates the possibility to have a smart system for entire range of UV wavelengths.

Both vertical type structures SiC-SD, with low density of electrical defects and a semitransparent electrode gate, and lateral type structures SiC-IDEs with good amplification of the photocurrent at wavelengths from UV to deep UV range will be designed and fabricated.

Moreover, nano Schottky contacts based on metallic nanoparticles/nanowires will be employed in order to enhance further the efficiency. The standard analyses to certify their quality (morpho-structural, compositional, etc.) will be correlated with the electrical measurements' results to understand, for example, which is the role of the defects arising at the metal/SiC interface on the UV photodetection performances. These investigations will allow us to optimize and to validate finally at laboratory scale (TRL 4) the best technological flow for a new SiC based SB UV PD with improved technical performances.