An ultraviolet light detection system is provided wherein a dark current background growth rate with total accumulated exposure dose is avoided, and parameters of an ultraviolet radiation source such as an ArF-excimer laser may be monitored without rapid degradation of the signal by the superposition of the dark current background over a desired signal. The invention provides a detector including a light sensitive element having a frequency conversion coating on its surface. The coating is preferably directly on the light sensitive element, absorbing incident ultraviolet light and re-emitting visible light in a direction toward the light sensitive element. The coating minimizes a dark current background that would otherwise appear when incident ultraviolet light impinges directly upon the light sensitive element, and thereby extends a lifetime of the light sensitive element. The detector is useful for detecting a wide range of ultraviolet wavelengths, and is particularly useful in solving the dark current growth rate with total accumulated exposure dose problem associated with detecting incident radiation under 240 nm.