Abstract: A method of forming a REO dielectric layer and a layer of a-Si between a III-N layer and a silicon substrate. The method includes depositing single crystal REO on the substrate. The single crystal REO has a lattice constant adjacent the substrate matching the lattice constant of the substrate and a lattice constant matching a selected III-N material adjacent an upper surface. A uniform layer of a-Si is formed on the REO. A second layer of REO is deposited on the layer of a-Si with the temperature required for epitaxial growth crystallizing the layer of a-Si and the crystallized silicon being transformed to amorphous silicon after transferring the lattice constant of the selected III-N material of the first layer of REO to the second layer of REO, and a single crystal layer of the selected III-N material deposited on the second layer of REO.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a rare earth silicide gate electrode on III-N material grown on a silicon substrate includes growing a single crystal stress compensating template on a silicon substrate. The template is substantially crystal lattice matched to the surface of the silicon substrate. A single crystal GaN structure is grown on the surface of the template and substantially crystal lattice matched to the template. An active layer of single crystal III-N material is grown on the GaN structure and substantially crystal lattice matched to the GaN structure. A single crystal monoclinic rare earth oxide dielectric layer is grown on the active layer of III-N material and a single crystal rare earth silicide gate electrode is grown on the dielectric layer, the silicide. Relative portions of the gadolinium metal and the silicon are adjusted during deposition so they react to form rare earth silicide during deposition.

Abstract: A method of forming a template on a silicon substrate includes the step of providing a single crystal silicon substrate having a protective layer of amorphous silicon oxide on an upper surface thereof. A working area is delineated on the upper surface of the silicon substrate and a rare earth metal oxide is formed on the upper surface of the silicon substrate within the working area. The rare earth metal oxide is crystal lattice matched to the upper surface of the silicon substrate to form a template for further operations and portions of the upper surface outside the working area are covered with the protective layer of amorphous silicon oxide.

Abstract: A DBR/gallium nitride/aluminum nitride base grown on a silicon substrate includes a Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) positioned on the silicon substrate. The DBR is substantially crystal lattice matched to the surface of the silicon substrate. A first layer of III-N material is positioned on the surface of the DBR, an inter-layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) is positioned on the surface of the first layer of III-N material and an additional layer of III-N material is positioned on the surface of the inter-layer of aluminum nitride. The inter-layer of aluminum nitride and the additional layer of III-N material are repeated n-times to reduce or engineer strain in a final III-N layer.

Abstract: A pumped sensor system includes a substrate with a first layer formed thereon and doped for a first type conduction and a second layer doped for a second type conduction, whereby the first and second layers form a silicon light detector at an up-conversion wavelength. A ternary rare earth oxide is formed on the second layer and crystal lattice matched to the second layer. The oxide is a crystalline bulk oxide with a controlled percentage of an up-conversion component and a majority component. The majority component is insensitive to any of pump, sense, or up-conversion wavelengths and the up-conversion component is selected to produce energy at the up-conversion wavelength in response to receiving energy at the pump and sense wavelengths. The layer of oxide defines a light input area sensitive to a pump wavelength and a light input area sensitive to a sense wavelength.

Abstract: A method of forming a template on a silicon substrate includes epitaxially growing a template of single crystal ternary rare earth oxide on a silicon substrate and epitaxially growing a single crystal semiconductor active layer on the template. The active layer has either a cubic or a hexagonal crystal structure. During the epitaxial growth of the template, a partial pressure of oxygen is selected and a ratio of metals included in the ternary rare earth oxide is selected to match crystal spacing and structure of the template at a lower interface to the substrate and to match crystal spacing and structure of the template at an upper interface to crystal spacing and structure of the semiconductor active layer. A high oxygen partial pressure during growth of the template produces a stabilized cubic crystal structure and a low oxygen partial pressure produces a predominant peak with a hexagonal crystal structure.

Abstract: A solar cell with engineered spectral conversion elements or components includes a single crystal silicon solar cell having a back surface. At least one spectral conversion element is formed on the back surface. The conversion element includes single crystal rare earth oxide, and the single crystal rare earth oxide is crystal lattice matched to the back surface of the silicon solar cell. Material including silicon is formed on the back surface in a surrounding and embedding relationship to the at least one spectral conversion element. A back reflector is positioned on the material formed on the back surface so as to reflect light passing through the silicon formed on the back surface.

Abstract: III-N material grown on a silicon substrate includes a single crystal rare earth oxide layer positioned on a silicon substrate. The rare earth oxide is substantially crystal lattice matched to the surface of the silicon substrate. A first layer of III-N material is positioned on the surface of the rare earth oxide layer. An inter-layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) is positioned on the surface of the first layer of III-N material and an additional layer of III-N material is positioned on the surface of the inter-layer of aluminum nitride. The inter-layer of aluminum nitride and the additional layer of III-N material are repeated n-times to reduce or engineer strain in a final III-N layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a template on a silicon substrate includes providing a single crystal silicon substrate. The method further includes forming an aluminum oxide coating on the surface of the silicon substrate, the aluminum oxide being substantially crystal lattice matched to the surface of the silicon substrate and epitaxially depositing a layer of aluminum nitride (AlN) on the aluminum oxide coating substantially crystal lattice matched to the surface of the aluminum nitride.

Abstract: A light amplifier includes a single crystal semiconductor substrate with a rare earth oxide, light amplifying gain medium deposited on the substrate and formed into a light waveguide, and a pump laser. A lattice matching virtual substrate integrates the pump laser to the gain medium with a first opposed surface crystal lattice matched to the gain medium and second opposed surface crystal lattice matched to the pump laser. The pump laser is positioned with a light output surface coupled to a light input surface of the gain medium so as to introduce pump energy into the light waveguide. The light amplifier has a very small footprint and allows the integration of control and monitoring electronics.

Abstract: The invention includes a single chip having multiple different devices integrated thereon for a common purpose. The chip includes a substrate having a peripheral area, a mid-chip area, and a central area. A plurality of FETs are formed in the peripheral area with each FET having a layer of single crystal rare earth material in at least one of a conductive channel, a gate insulator, or a gate stack. A plurality of photonic devices including light emitting diodes or vertical cavity surface emitting lasers are formed in the mid-chip area with each photonic device having an active layer of single crystal rare earth material. A plurality of photo detectors are formed in the central area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor devices comprising rare earth based optical gain medium layers suitable for electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Abstract: A method of growing single crystal III-N material on a semiconductor substrate includes providing a substrate including one of crystalline silicon or germanium and a layer of rare earth oxide. A layer of single crystal III-N material is epitaxially grown on the substrate using a process that elevates the temperature of the layer of rare earth oxide into a range of approximately 750° C. to approximately 1250° C. in the presence of an N or a III containing species, whereby a portion of the layer of rare earth oxide is transformed to a new alloy.

Abstract: A virtual substrate structure includes a crystalline silicon substrate with a first layer of III-N grown on the silicon substrate. Ge clusters or quantum dots are grown on the first layer of III-N and a second layer of III-N is grown on the Ge clusters or quantum dots and any portions of the first layer of III-N exposed between the Ge clusters or quantum dots. Additional alternating Ge clusters or quantum dots and layers of III-N are grown on the second layer of III-N forming an upper surface of III-N. Generally, the additional alternating layers of Ge clusters or quantum dots and layers of III-N are continued until dislocations in the III-N adjacent the upper surface are substantially eliminated.

Abstract: A solar cell including a base of single crystal silicon with a cubic crystal structure and a single crystal layer of a second material with a higher bandgap than the bandgap of silicon. First and second single crystal transition layers are positioned in overlying relationship with the layers graduated from a cubic crystal structure at one surface to a hexagonal crystal structure at an opposed surface. The first and second transition layers are positioned between the base and the layer of second material with the one surface lattice matched to the base and the opposed surface lattice matched to the layer of second material.

Abstract: Examples of device structures utilizing layers of rare earth oxides to perform the tasks of strain engineering in transitioning between semiconductor layers of different composition and/or lattice orientation and size are given. A structure comprising a plurality of semiconductor layers separated by transition layer(s) comprising two or more rare earth compounds operable as a sink for structural defects is disclosed.

Abstract: Infrared imaging at wavelengths longer than the silicon bandgap energy (>1100 nm) typically require expensive focal plane arrays fabricated from compound semiconductors (InSb or HgCdTe) or use of slower silicon microbolometer technology. Furthermore, these technologies are available in relatively small array sizes, whereas silicon focal plane arrays are easily available with 10 megapixels or more array size. A new technique is disclosed to up convert infrared light to wavelengths detectable by silicon focal plane arrays, or other detector technologies, thereby enabling a low-cost, high pixel count infrared imaging system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor based structure for a device for converting radiation to electrical energy comprising various combinations of rare-earths and Group IV, III-V, and II-VI semiconductors and alloys thereof enabling enhanced performance including high radiation conversion efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a semiconductor based structure for a device for converting radiation to electrical energy comprising various combinations of rare-earths and Group IV, III-V, and II-VI semiconductors and alloys thereof enabling enhanced performance including high radiation conversion efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention discloses structures to increase carrier mobility using engineered substrate technologies for a solid state device. Structures employing rare-earth compounds enable heteroepitaxy of different semiconductor materials of different orientations.