Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a germanium region, a doped region in the germanium region, wherein the doped region is of a first conductivity type; and a counter-doped region in the germanium region and adjacent to the doped region, wherein the counter-doped region is of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type.

Abstract: Image processing apparatus and image processing method are provided. The image processing apparatus may include an image sensor having a plurality of photodetectors and include a 3D image calculating module. The image sensor may be configured to generate a first set of input information at a first time/first location and a second set of input information at a second time/second location, where the first set of input information may be associated with a first weighting value, and the second set of input information may be associated with a second weighting value. The 3D image calculating module may be configured to generate output information based on the first and the second sets of input information and the first and the second weighting values, wherein at least one of the plurality of photodetectors includes germanium.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus is provided. The photo-detecting apparatus includes at least one pixel, and each pixel includes N subpixels, wherein each of the subpixels comprises a detection region, two first conductive contacts, wherein the detection region is between the two first conductive contacts, wherein N is a positive integer and is ?2.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus includes an optical-to-electric converter, having a first output terminal, configured to convert an incident light to an electrical signal; a cascode transistor, having a control terminal, a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal, wherein the second channel terminal of the cascode transistor is coupled to the first output terminal of the optical-to-electric converter; and a reset transistor, having a control terminal, a first channel terminal and a second channel terminal, wherein the first channel terminal of the reset transistor is coupled to a supply voltage and the second channel terminal of the reset transistor is coupled to the first channel terminal of the cascode transistor.

Abstract: An optoelectronic device is provided. The optoelectronic device includes a photodetector including a light-absorption region, 2N control contact layers electrically coupled to the light-absorption region, and 2N readout contact layers electrically coupled to the light-absorption region, wherein N is a positive integer larger than or equal to 2.

Abstract: An optical sensing apparatus includes an absorption region configured to receive an optical signal and to generate, in response to the optical signal, photo-generated electrons and photo-generated holes, a carrier steerer, and circuitry electrically coupled to the carrier steerer and a controller. The carrier steerer includes a first p-doped region, a first n-doped region electrically shorted with the first p-doped region, a first gate configured to control a flow of holes from the absorption region to the first p-doped region, and a second gate configured to control a flow of electrons from the absorption region to the first n-doped region.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus includes an image sensor and a 3D image generator. The image sensor having a plurality of 3D photodetectors is configured to output a raw data. The 3D image generator having a storage medium for storing a calibration data is configured to output a 3D image according to the raw data and the calibration data. The calibration data includes at least one of an IQ-mismatch calibration data, a non-linearity calibration data, a temperature calibration data and an offset calibration data.

Abstract: Methods and devices for a display apparatus. In one aspect, a display apparatus includes a display device including a transparent layer, a display integrated circuit layer including one or more display control circuits, and a shielding layer between the transparent layer and the display integrated circuit layer, a near-infrared (NIR) light source and a visible light source, and a detector device including a detector integrated circuit layer including one or more detector control circuits, where a surface of the detector device contacts a surface of the display device, and a photodetector electrically coupled to at least one detector control circuit and including a detection region positioned to receive NIR light propagating from a front side of the display device to a back side of the display device along a path, where the shielding layer includes a filter region positioned in the path.

Abstract: A light emission apparatus includes a transistor comprising a control terminal, a first channel terminal, and a second channel terminal, wherein the control terminal is configured to receive a modulation signal, the first channel terminal is configured to generate a driving signal according to the modulation signal, and the second channel terminal is coupled to a fixed voltage; and a load comprising: a first terminal; a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the first channel terminal of the transistor and the second terminal is coupled to the fixed voltage; a laser diode configured to emit a light according to the driving signal; and a first capacitor coupled to the laser diode, configured to isolate a DC current on the first terminal of the transistor.

Abstract: A waveguide structure includes a first surface having a first width, a second surface having a second width, the second surface being opposite to the first surface, and a sidewall surface connecting the first surface and the second surface. The first width is greater than the second width.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an optical sensor includes: forming, over a substrate, a first material layer comprising a first alloy of germanium and silicon having a first germanium composition; forming, over the first material layer, a graded material layer comprising germanium and silicon; and forming, over the graded material layer, a second material layer comprising a second alloy of germanium and silicon having a second germanium composition. The first germanium composition is lower than the second germanium composition and a germanium composition of the graded material layer is between the first germanium composition and the second germanium composition and varies along a direction perpendicular to the substrate.

Abstract: A photo-detecting apparatus includes an absorption layer configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons, wherein the absorption layer includes germanium. A carrier guiding unit is electrically coupled to the absorption layer, wherein the carrier guiding unit includes a first switch including a first gate terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for optical communication are provided. For instance, a method for optical communication can include receiving, by a first coupling module, a power-on signal from a first electronic device coupled to the first coupling module. The method can also include relaying, by the first coupling module, a first optical signal to a second coupling module coupled to a second electronic device. The method can also include relaying, by the second coupling module, in response to receipt of the first optical signal, a second optical signal to the first coupling module. The method can also include activating, by the first coupling module, in response to receipt of the second optical signal, a data transfer circuit for relaying data via an optical communication interface between the first coupling module and the second coupling module.

Abstract: Structures and techniques introduced here enable the design and fabrication of photodetectors (PDs) and/or other electronic circuits using typical semiconductor device manufacturing technologies meanwhile reducing the adverse impacts on PDs' performance. Examples of the various structures and techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a pre-PD homogeneous wafer bonding technique, a pre-PD heterogeneous wafer bonding technique, a post-PD wafer bonding technique, their combinations, and a number of mirror equipped PD structures. With the introduced structures and techniques, it is possible to implement PDs using typical direct growth material epitaxy technology while reducing the adverse impact of the defect layer at the material interface caused by lattice mismatch.

Abstract: Introduced here are techniques for implementing a clock and data recovery circuit with improved tendencies, such a pull up and/or pull down tendencies. In various embodiments, the CDR circuit includes a phase detector that receives an input signal and a output reference clock signal. The phase detector then outputs two signals to charge pump. The output from the charge pump drives an oscillator control voltage up or down depending the current from the charge pump. A lock detector detects whether a lock has occurred by comparing the oscillator control voltage to a predetermined threshold voltage. A lock can occur when the circuit has settled into a frequency substantially near the frequency of the input signal and the oscillator control voltage is substantially near the threshold voltage. A controller circuit can control a sweeping of an available frequency range by the circuit until a lock occurs.

Abstract: Structures and techniques introduced here enable the design and fabrication of photodetectors (PDs) and/or other electronic circuits using typical semiconductor device manufacturing technologies meanwhile reducing the adverse impacts on PDs' performance. Examples of the various structures and techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a pre-PD homogeneous wafer bonding technique, a pre-PD heterogeneous wafer bonding technique, a post-PD wafer bonding technique, their combinations, and a number of mirror equipped PD structures. With the introduced structures and techniques, it is possible to implement PDs using typical direct growth material epitaxy technology while reducing the adverse impact of the defect layer at the material interface caused by lattice mismatch.

Abstract: A photodetecting device for detecting different wavelengths includes a first photodetecting component including a substrate and a second photodetecting component including second absorption region. The substrate includes a first absorption region configured to absorb photons having a first peak wavelength and to generate first photo-carriers. The second absorption region is supported by the substrate and configured to absorb photons having a second peak wavelength and to generate second photo-carriers. The first absorption region and the second absorption region are overlapped along a vertical direction.

Abstract: A laser driving apparatus includes a driver, a tracking circuit, a comparator and a control circuit. The driver includes a laser driving circuit, and the tracking circuit includes a reference current source and a replica circuit. The laser driving circuit generates a driving current to drive a laser. The reference current source generates a reference current as a reference for the laser driving apparatus. The replica circuit corresponds to at least a portion of the laser driving circuit, generates a sensing current according to the reference current and track the driving current. The comparator compares voltages respectively on the laser driving circuit and the replica circuit to generate a comparison signal. The control circuit adjusts the sensing current or the driving current according to the comparison signal. The laser driving apparatus can include multiple channels with multiple drivers.

Abstract: A HDMI apparatus is provided. The HDMI apparatus includes a first audio/video transceiver (A/V transceiver) configured to transmit an optical A/V signal to a second A/V transceiver; and a first sideband transceiver configured to drive a first laser diode to transmit a first optical sideband signal including a first control information or a first power information; wherein the first control information or the first power information is converted by a first Serializer/Deserializer (SERDES).

Abstract: An apparatus including a semiconductor substrate; an absorption layer coupled to the semiconductor substrate, the absorption layer including a photodiode region configured to absorb photons and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; one or more first switches controlled by a first control signal, the one or more first switches configured to collect at least a portion of the photo-carriers based on the first control signal; and one or more second switches controlled by a second control signal, the one or more second switches configured to collect at least a portion of the photo-carriers based on the second control signal, where the second control signal is different from the first control signal.