Abstract: A method for fabricating an image sensor array having a first group of photodiodes for detecting light at visible wavelengths a second group of photodiodes for detecting light at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths, the method including forming a germanium-silicon layer for the second group of photodiodes on a first semiconductor donor wafer; defining a first interconnect layer on the germanium-silicon layer; defining integrated circuitry for controlling pixels of the image sensor array on a semiconductor carrier wafer; defining a second interconnect layer on the semiconductor carrier wafer; bonding the first interconnect layer with the second interconnect layer; defining the pixels of an image sensor array on a second semiconductor donor wafer; defining a third interconnect layer on the image sensor array; and bonding the third interconnect layer with the germanium-silicon layer.

Abstract: An optical sensor including a first material layer comprising at least a first material; a second material layer comprising at least a second material that is different from the first material, where a material bandgap of the first material is larger than a material bandgap of the second material; and a graded material layer arranged between the first material layer and the second material layer, the graded material layer comprising an alloy of at least the first material and the second material having compositions of the second material that vary along a direction that is from the first material to the second material.

Abstract: A light absorption apparatus includes a substrate, a light absorption layer above the substrate on a first selected area, a silicon layer above the light absorption layer, a spacer surrounding at least part of the sidewall of the light absorption layer, an isolation layer surrounding at least part of the spacer, wherein the light absorption apparatus can achieve high bandwidth and low dark current.

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: An optical sensor including a first material layer comprising at least a first material; a second material layer comprising at least a second material that is different from the first material, where a material bandgap of the first material is larger than a material bandgap of the second material; and a graded material layer arranged between the first material layer and the second material layer, the graded material layer comprising an alloy of at least the first material and the second material having compositions of the second material that vary along a direction that is from the first material to the second material.

Abstract: An Si/Ge SACM avalanche photodiodes (APD) having low breakdown voltage characteristics includes an absorption region and a multiplication region having various layers of particular thicknesses and doping concentrations. An optical waveguide can guide infrared and/or optical signals or energy into the absorption region. The resulting photo-generated carriers are swept into the i-Si layer and/or multiplication region for avalanche multiplication. The APD has a breakdown bias voltage of well less than 12 V and an operating bandwidth of greater than 10 GHz, and is therefore suitable for use in consumer electronic devices, high speed communication networks, and the like.

Abstract: A light absorption apparatus includes a substrate, a light absorption layer above the substrate on a first selected area, a silicon layer above the light absorption layer, a spacer surrounding at least part of the sidewall of the light absorption layer, an isolation layer surrounding at least part of the spacer, wherein the light absorption apparatus can achieve high bandwidth and low dark current.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical coupler. In some embodiments, the device may include an optical waveguide to transmit light input from a light source. The optical waveguide may include a semiconductor layer, having a trench with one facet that comprises an edge formed under an approximately 45 degree angle and another facet formed substantially normal to the semiconductor layer. The edge may interface with another medium to form a mirror to receive inputted light and reflect received light substantially perpendicularly to propagate the received light. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

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: An Si/Ge SACM avalanche photo-diodes (APD) having low breakdown voltage characteristics includes an absorption region and a multiplication region having various layers of particular thicknesses and doping concentrations. An optical waveguide can guide infrared and/or optical signals or energy into the absorption region. The resulting photo-generated carriers are swept into the i-Si layer and/or multiplication region for avalanche multiplication. The APD has a breakdown bias voltage of well less than 12 V and an operating bandwidth of greater than 10 GHz, and is therefore suitable for use in consumer electronic devices, high speed communication networks, and the like.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for eye gesture recognition. In one aspect, a method includes obtaining an electrical signal that represents a measurement, by a photodetector, of an optical signal reflected from an eye and determining a depth map of the eye based on phase differences between the electrical signal generated by the photodetector and a reference signal. Further, the method includes determining gaze information that represents a gaze of the eye based on the depth map and providing output data representing the gaze information.

Abstract: An optical sensor including a semiconductor substrate; a first light absorption region formed in the semiconductor substrate, the first light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a first wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; a second light absorption region formed on the first light absorption region, the second light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a second wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; and a sensor control signal coupled to the second light absorption region, the sensor control signal configured to provide at least a first control level and a second control level.

Abstract: An image sensor array including a carrier substrate; a first group of photodiodes coupled to the carrier substrate, where the first group of photodiodes include a first photodiode, and where the first photodiode includes a semiconductor layer configured to absorb photons at visible wavelengths and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; and a second group of photodiodes coupled to the carrier substrate, where the second group of photodiodes include a second photodiode, and where the second photodiode includes a germanium-silicon region fabricated on the semiconductor layer, the germanium-silicon region configured to absorb photons at infrared or near-infrared wavelengths and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons.

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: An optical sensor including a first material layer comprising at least a first material; a second material layer comprising at least a second material that is different from the first material, where a material bandgap of the first material is larger than a material bandgap of the second material; and a graded material layer arranged between the first material layer and the second material layer, the graded material layer comprising an alloy of at least the first material and the second material having compositions of the second material that vary along a direction that is from the first material to the second material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical coupler. In some embodiments, the device may include an optical waveguide to transmit light input from a light source. The optical waveguide may include a semiconductor layer, having a trench with one facet that comprises an edge formed under an approximately 45 degree angle and another facet formed substantially normal to the semiconductor layer. The edge may interface with another medium to form a mirror to receive inputted light and reflect received light substantially perpendicularly to propagate the received light. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical coupler. In some embodiments, the device may include an optical waveguide to transmit light input from a light source. The optical waveguide may include a semiconductor layer, having a trench with one facet that comprises an edge formed under an approximately 45 degree angle and another facet formed substantially normal to the semiconductor layer. The edge may interface with another medium to form a mirror to receive inputted light and reflect received light substantially perpendicularly to propagate the received light. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Abstract: A light absorption apparatus includes a substrate, a light absorption layer above the substrate on a first selected area, a silicon layer above the light absorption layer, a spacer surrounding at least part of the sidewall of the light absorption layer, an isolation layer surrounding at least part of the spacer, wherein the light absorption apparatus can achieve high bandwidth and low dark current.

Abstract: A semiconductor optical sensor includes a plurality of sensing units and to senses an incident optical signal to generate an electrical signal. One of the sensing units includes a substrate, an optical sensing element, a lens and an optical shielding element. The optical sensing element, whose material is different from that of the substrate, converts the incident optical signal into the electrical signal. The lens, whose material includes the same as that of the substrate, guides the incident optical signal to the optical sensing element by changing the propagation path of the incident optical signal. The optical shielding element, which surrounds the optical sensing element, alters the propagation path or propagation distance of the incident optical signal after the incident optical signal passes through the lens such that the incident optical signal will not reach an optical sensing element of an adjacent sensing unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed toward techniques and configurations for an optical coupler. In some embodiments, the device may include an optical waveguide to transmit light input from a light source. The optical waveguide may include a semiconductor layer, having a trench with one facet that comprises an edge formed under an approximately 45 degree angle and another facet formed substantially normal to the semiconductor layer. The edge may interface with another medium to form a mirror to receive inputted light and reflect received light substantially perpendicularly to propagate the received light. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.