Abstract: A photodiode for detecting photons comprising a substrate; first semiconducting region suitable for forming a contact thereon; a first contact; a second semiconducting region comprising an absorption region for the photons and being formed of a semiconductor having one or more of a high surface recombination velocity or a high interface recombination velocity; a second contact operatively associated with the second region; the first semiconducting region and the second semiconducting region forming a first interface; the second semiconducting region being configured such that reverse biasing the photodiode between the first and second contacts results in the absorption region having a portion depleted of electrical carriers and an undepleted portion at the reverse bias point of operation; the undepleted portion being smaller than the absorption depth for photons; whereby the depletion results in the creation of an electric field and photogenerated carriers are collected by drift; and a method of making.

Abstract: A photodiode comprising a substrate; first semiconducting region; first contact; second region comprising an absorption region for the photons having a predetermined energy range; the second region being formed of a semiconductor having a high surface or interface recombination velocity; a third semiconducting region transparent at the predetermined photon energy range suitable for making an operative connection to a second contact; the second and third regions forming a second interface; the first and second regions forming a first interface; the second region being configured such that biasing the photodiode results in depletion of the second region from the first interface to the second interface or at least one of the absorption depth and the sum of the absorption depth and diffusion length from the second interface; the depletion resulting in the creation of an electric field whereby photogenerated carriers are collected by drift and a method of making the foregoing.

Abstract: A photodiode for detecting photons comprising a substrate; first semiconducting region suitable for forming a contact thereon; a first contact; a second semiconducting region comprising an absorption region for the photons and being formed of a semiconductor having one or more of a high surface recombination velocity or a high interface recombination velocity; a second contact operatively associated with the second region; the first semiconducting region and the second semiconducting region forming a first interface; the second semiconducting region being configured such that reverse biasing the photodiode between the first and second contacts results in the absorption region having a portion depleted of electrical carriers and an undepleted portion at the reverse bias point of operation; the undepleted portion being smaller than the absorption depth for photons; whereby the depletion results in the creation of an electric field and photogenerated carriers are collected by drift; and a method of making.

Abstract: A method of making and a photodetector comprising a substrate; a p-type or n-type layer; first and second region each having polarizations, a first interface therebetween, the magnitudes and directions of the first and second polarizations being such that a scalar projection of second polarization on the growth direction relative to the scalar projection of the first polarization projected onto the growth direction is sufficient to create a first interface charge; and a third region suitable for forming one of an n-metal or p-metal contact thereon having a third polarization, a second interface between the second and third regions, the third polarization having a scalar projection on the growth direction that, relative to scalar projection of the second polarization onto the growth direction, is sufficient to create a second interface charge; the first and second interface charges creating an electrostatic potential barrier to carriers defining a predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: A method of making and a photodetector comprising a substrate; a p-type or n-type layer; first and second region each having polarizations, a first interface therebetween, the magnitudes and directions of the first and second polarizations being such that a scalar projection of second polarization on the growth direction relative to the scalar projection of the first polarization projected onto the growth direction is sufficient to create a first interface charge; and a third region suitable for forming one of an n-metal or p-metal contact thereon having a third polarization, a second interface between the second and third regions, the third polarization having a scalar projection on the growth direction that, relative to scalar projection of the second polarization onto the growth direction, is sufficient to create a second interface charge; the first and second interface charges creating an electrostatic potential barrier to carriers defining a predetermined wavelength range.

Abstract: An AlGaN composition is provided comprising a group III-Nitride active region layer, for use in an active region of a UV light emitting device, wherein light-generation occurs through radiative recombination of carriers in nanometer scale size, compositionally inhomogeneous regions having band-gap energy less than the surrounding material. Further, a semiconductor UV light emitting device having an active region layer comprised of the AlGaN composition above is provided, as well as a method of producing the AlGaN composition and semiconductor UV light emitting device, involving molecular beam epitaxy.

Abstract: An AlGaN composition is provided comprising a group III-Nitride active region layer, for use in an active region of a UV light emitting device, wherein light-generation occurs through radiative recombination of carriers in nanometer scale size, compositionally inhomogeneous regions having band-gap energy less than the surrounding material. Further, a semiconductor UV light emitting device having an active region layer comprised of the AlGaN composition above is provided, as well as a method of producing the AlGaN composition and semiconductor UV light emitting device, involving molecular beam epitaxy.

Abstract: An AlGaN composition is provided comprising a group III-Nitride active region layer, for use in an active region of a UV light emitting device, wherein light-generation occurs through radiative recombination of carriers in nanometer scale size, compositionally inhomogeneous regions having band-gap energy less than the surrounding material. Further, a semiconductor UV light emitting device having an active region layer comprised of the AlGaN composition above is provided, as well as a method of producing the AlGaN composition and semiconductor UV light emitting device, involving molecular beam epitaxy.

Abstract: An AlGaN composition is provided comprising a group III-Nitride active region layer, for use in an active region of a UV light emitting device, wherein light-generation occurs through radiative recombination of carriers in nanometer scale size, compositionally inhomogeneous regions having band-gap energy less than the surrounding material. Further, a semiconductor UV light emitting device having an active region layer comprised of the AlGaN composition above is provided, as well as a method of producing the AlGaN composition and semiconductor UV light emitting device, involving molecular beam epitaxy.