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: 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 growing a germanium-silicon layer on a semiconductor donor wafer; defining pixels of the image sensor array on the germanium-silicon layer; defining a first interconnect layer on the germanium-silicon layer, wherein the interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the first group of photodiodes and the second group of photodiodes; defining integrated circuitry for controlling the pixels of the image sensor array on a semiconductor carrier wafer; defining a second interconnect layer on the semiconductor carrier wafer, wherein the second interconnect layer includes a plurality of interconnects coupled to the integrated circuitry; and bonding the first interconnect layer with the second interconnect layer.

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: 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 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: 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: An optical apparatus including a substrate and a refractive element formed above the substrate. The refractive element including a surface with a predetermined radius of curvature, and a group of periodic structures formed on the surface configured to refract or to filter one or more wavelengths of an incident light.

Abstract: Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

Abstract: An apparatus including a waveguide region configured to guide light propagating along a first direction; a reflector region configured to reflect incident light; an interference region formed between the waveguide region and the reflector region, the interference region configured to confine at least a portion of interference light formed by the incident light and the reflected incident light; and a grating region including a grating formed on a region confining at least a portion of the interference light, the grating configured to couple at least a portion of the light along a second direction that is different from the first direction.

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 apparatus including a substrate and a refractive element formed above the substrate. The refractive element including a surface with a predetermined radius of curvature, and a group of periodic structures formed on the surface configured to refract or to filter one or more wavelengths of an incident light.

Abstract: Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

Abstract: Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

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: Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

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.