Improvement of the quantum efficiency of the new super-HARP image sensor

The New Super-HARP image sensor, which relies on avalanche multiplication in a photoconductive film made mainly of amorphous selenium, is ultra-high sensitive. The sensor has already ben used to film very dark scenes, however in such a situation, shot noise due to the quantum characteristics of light becomes a serious problem. Increasing the quantum efficiency of the image sensors can reduce shot noise. The quantum efficiency of the New Super-HARP sensor has been improved to obtain an even better picture. To increase the quantum efficiency for green incident-light two improvements have been made to the amorphous selenium film. The first is doping the film with a suitable amount of tellurium on its incident-light side. The sensor is reducing the lithium- fluoride-doped layer to about 60 percent of the thickness of the conventional film. The improved version of the New Super-HARP Film has higher quantum efficiency. Its quantum efficiency at a wavelength of 540 nm was evaluated to be double that of the conventional film. Shot noise is reduced by three dB, that is, the S/N is improved by three dB.