4 × 4 AlGaN LED-PD integrated arrays for ultraviolet disinfection

Reliable ultraviolet (UV) disinfection requires both effective pathogen disinfection and real-time monitoring of the delivered UV emission. Here, we demonstrate AlGaN-based UV LED-PD integrated arrays for self-monitoring UV disinfection. Two 4 × 4 integrated arrays with emission wavelengths of 274 and 310 nm were fabricated and evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus as a model microorganism. At a drive current of 1.0 A, the light output powers reached 140.6 mW and 151.1 mW for the 274 and 310 nm-LED arrays, respectively. The two arrays were further assessed for bacterial inactivation under UV doses of 4.40-10.10 mJ cm^-2 with an irradiation time of 1 s. The 274 nm-LED arrays achieved a disinfection rate of 98%-99%, whereas the 310 nm-LED arrays showed a disinfection rate of 80%-95%. As a representative validation of the self-monitoring function, the photocurrent generated by the integrated PD in the 310 nm-LED arrays was linearly correlated with the light output power. These results indicate that AlGaN-based LED-PD integrated arrays can combine UV disinfection with on-chip emission monitoring, providing a route toward more traceable and reliable UV disinfection systems.