Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor devices suitable for electronic, optoelectronic and energy conversion applications. In a particular form, the present invention relates to the fabrication of a thin film solar cells and thin film transistors through the advantageous combination of semiconductors, insulators, rare-earth based compounds and amorphous and/or ceramic and/or glass substrates. Example embodiments of crystalline or polycrystalline thin film semiconductor-on-glass formation using rare-earth based material as impurity barrier layer(s) are disclosed. In particular, thin film silicon-on-glass substrate is disclosed as the alternate embodiment, with impurity barrier designed to inhibit transport of deleterious alkali species from the glass into the semiconductor thin film.

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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to semiconductor devices suitable for electronic, optoelectronic and energy conversion applications. In a particular form, the present invention relates to the fabrication of a thin film solar cells and thin film transistors through the advantageous combination of semiconductors, insulators, rare-earth based compounds and amorphous and/or ceramic and/or glass substrates. Crystalline or polycrystalline thin film semiconductor-on-glass formation using alkali ion impurity barrier layer(s) are disclosed. Example embodiment of crystalline or polycrystalline thin film semiconductor-on-glass formation using rare-earth based material as impurity barrier layer(s) is disclosed. In particular, thin film silicon-on-glass substrate is disclosed as the alternate embodiment, with impurity barrier designed to inhibit transport of deleterious alkali species from the glass into the semiconductor thin film.

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: The use of rare-earth (RE+O, N, P) based materials to transition between two semiconductor materials is disclosed. Rare earth based oxides, nitrides and phosphides provide a wide range of lattice spacings enabling, compressive, tensile or stress-free lattice matching with Group IV, III-V, and Group II-VI compounds. Disclosed embodiments include tandem solar cells.

Abstract: The use of rare-earth (RE and O, N, P) based materials to transition between two different semiconductor materials and enable up and/or down conversion of incident radiation is disclosed. Rare earth based oxides, nitrides and phosphides provide a wide range of lattice spacing enabling, compressive, tensile or stress-free lattice matching with Group IV, III-V, and Group II-VI compounds.

Abstract: Optimal structures for high efficiency thin film silicon solar energy conversion devices and systems are disclosed. Thin film silicon active layer photoelectron conversion structures using ion implantation are disclosed. Thin film semiconductor devices optimized for exploiting the high energy and ultraviolet portion of the solar spectrum at the earths surface are also disclosed. Solar cell fabrication using high oxygen concentration single crystal silicon substrates formed using in preference the CZ method are used advantageously. Furthermore, the present invention discloses optical coatings for advantageous coupling of solar radiation into thin film solar cell devices via the use of rare-earth metal oxide (REOx), rare-earth metal oxynitride (REOxNy) and rare-earth metal oxy-phosphide (REOxPy) glasses and or crystalline material. The rare-earth metal is chosen from the group commonly known in the periodic table of elements as the lanthanide series.

Abstract: Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is applied to the fabrication of new forms of rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides. Further, ternary compounds composed of binary (rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides) mixed with silicon and or germanium to form compound semiconductors of the formula RE-(O, N, P)—(Si,Ge) are also disclosed, where RE=at least one selection from group of rare-earth metals, O=oxygen, N=nitrogen, P=phosphorus, Si=silicon and Ge=germanium. The presented ALE growth technique and material system can be applied to silicon electronics, opto-electronic, magneto-electronics and magneto-optics devices.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a single-phase rare-earth dielectric disposed on a substrate. Embodiments of the present invention provide the basis for high-K gate dielectrics in conventional integrated circuits and high-K buried dielectrics as part of a semiconductor-on-insulator wafer structure.

Abstract: New thermoelectric materials and devices are disclosed for application to high efficiency thermoelectric power generation. New functional materials based on oxides, rare-earth-oxides, rare-earth-nitrides, rare-earth phosphides, copper-rare-earth oxides, silicon-rare-earth-oxides, germanium-rare-earth-oxides and bismuth rare-earth-oxides are disclosed. Addition of nitrogen and phosphorus are disclosed to optimize the oxide material properties for thermoelectric conversion efficiency. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials are described. New devices based on bulk and multilayer thermoelectric materials using combinations of at least one of thermoelectric and pyroelectric and ferroelectric materials are described. Thermoelectric devices based on vertical pillar and planar architectures are disclosed. The advantage of the planar thermoelectric effect allows utility for large area applications and is scalable for large scale power generation plants.

Abstract: Fabrication of new forms of rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides is disclosed. Further, ternary compounds composed of binary (rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides) mixed with silicon and or germanium to form compound semiconductors. The presented growth techniques and material system can be applied to silicon electronics, opto-electronic, magneto-electronics and magneto-optics devices.

Abstract: The use of rare-earth (RE+O, N, P) based materials to transition between two semiconductor materials is disclosed. Rare earth based oxides, nitrides and phosphides provide a wide range of lattice spacings enabling, compressive, tensile or stress-free lattice matching with Group IV, III-V, and Group II-VI compounds. Disclosed embodiments include tandem solar cells.

Abstract: The use of rare-earth (RE and O, N, P) based materials to transition between two different semiconductor materials and enable up and/or down conversion of incident radiation is disclosed. Rare earth based oxides, nitrides and phosphides provide a wide range of lattice spacing enabling, compressive, tensile or stress-free lattice matching with Group IV, III-V, and Group II-VI compounds.

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: Atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is applied to the fabrication of new forms of rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides. Further, ternary compounds composed of binary (rare-earth oxides, rare-earth nitrides and rare-earth phosphides) mixed with silicon and or germanium to form compound semiconductors of the formula RE-(O, N, P)—(Si,Ge) are also disclosed, where RE=at least one selection from group of rare-earth metals, O=oxygen, N=nitrogen, P=phosphorus, Si=silicon and Ge=germanium. The presented ALE growth technique and material system can be applied to silicon electronics, opto-electronic, magneto-electronics and magneto-optics devices.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a double gate FET on a silicon substrate includes the steps of sequentially epitaxially growing a lower gate layer of crystalline rare earth silicide material on the substrate, a lower gate insulating layer of crystalline rare earth insulating material, an active layer of crystalline semiconductor material, an upper gate insulating layer of crystalline rare earth insulating material, and an upper gate layer of crystalline rare earth conductive material. The upper gate layer and the upper gate electrically insulating layer are etched and a contact is deposited on the upper gate layer to define an upper gate structure. An impurity is implanted into the lower gate layer to define a lower gate area aligned with the upper gate structure. A source and drain are formed in the active layer and contacts are deposited on the source and drain, respectively.

Abstract: A planar, double-gate transistor structure comprising upper and lower gate stacks that each comprises a single-phase high-K dielectric gate dielectric is disclosed. The transistor structure is particularly suitable for fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator electronics having gate-lengths less than 65 nm.

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 use of rare-earth (REO, N, P) based materials to covert long wavelength photons to shorter wavelength photons that can be absorbed in a photovoltaic device (up-conversion) and (REO, N, P) materials which can absorb a short wavelength photon and re-emit one (downshifting) or more longer wavelength photons is disclosed. The wide spectral range of sunlight overlaps with a multitude of energy transitions in rare-earth materials, thus offering multiple up-conversion pathways. The refractive index contrast of rare-earth materials with silicon enables a DBR with >90% peak reflectivity and a stop band greater than 150 nm.

Abstract: Compositions comprising a single-phase rare-earth dielectric disposed on a substrate. Embodiments of the present invention provide the basis for high-K gate dielectrics in conventional integrated circuits and high-K buried dielectrics as part of a semiconductor-on-insulator wafer structure.