Abstract: A method of quickly depositing a non-single-crystal semiconductor film and forming a silicon-type non-single-crystal photovoltaic device, and a method of continuously manufacturing the photovoltaic devices. By this method the deposited film is formed by decomposing a raw material gas with microwave energy which is lower than the microwave energy required to completely decompose the raw material gas. RF energy is applied at the same time which is higher in energy than the microwave energy. The microwave energy acts on the raw material gas at an internal pressure level of 50 mTorr or lower to form a uniform non-single-crystal semiconductor film with excellent electrical characteristics and reduced light deterioration.

Abstract: A photoelectric converting device with PIN structure includes an amorphous I-type semiconductor layer and charge injection blocking layers positioned to sandwich the I-type layer. At least one of the charge injection blocking layers comprises an amorphous P- or N-semiconductor layer in contact with the I-type layer and an amorphous P- or N-semiconductor layer containing microcrystalline structure.

Abstract: A camera device having favorable multiplication characteristics (quantum efficiency) as well as improved sensitivity in a visible light region (especially the region on the red side) and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The camera device includes a hole injection stop layer, a first photoelectric converting layer including selenium, a second photoelectric converting layer having spectral sensitivity characteristics which are different from those of the first photoelectric converting layer, a third photoelectric converting layer including selenium, and an electron injection stop layer. As a result, it is possible to improve multiplication characteristics (quantum efficiency) and to improve the sensitivity in the visible light region (especially the region on the red side) simultaneously.

Abstract: An information processing device having neural network functions for performing information processing comprises: a semiconductor integrated circuit section including a plurality of neuronic circuit regions having a neuronic function which is one of said neural network functions, and first and second molecular film provided on the integrated circuit section. The first molecular film has a photoelectric function and the second molecular film has a light-emitting function. Coupling between the plurality of neurons is realized through a combination or the light-emitting and light receiving functions of the first and second molecular films.

Abstract: A non-single crystalline semiconductor containing at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of silicon atoms (Si) and germanium atoms (Ge) as a matrix, and at least one kind of atoms selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms (H) and halogen atoms (X), wherein said non-single crystalline semiconductor has an average radius of 3.5 .ANG. or less and a density of 1.times.10.sup.19 (cm.sup.-3) or less as for microvoids contained therein. The non-single crystalline semiconductor excels in semiconductor characteristics and adhesion with other materials and are effectively usable as a constituent element of various semiconductor devices.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor comprises a first amorphous semiconductor layer acting as a channel, a second n.sup.+ amorphous semiconductor layer formed on the first amorphous semiconductor layer, a diffusion preventive layer of chromium provided between the second amorphous semiconductor layer and source/drain metal electrodes. The diffusion preventive layer is formed by removing a portion of a diffusion preventive layer forming film not being covered by a patterned resist film using a first etchant. Then, the second amorphous semiconductor layer is formed by removing a portion of a second amorphous semiconductor layer forming film not being covered by the patterned resist film or the diffusion preventive layer using a second etchant which dissolves the second amorphous semiconductor layer forming film but does not dissolve the diffusion preventive layer.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device has a non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member formed on a substrate having a conductive surface, and a conductive layer formed on the non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member. The non-single-crystal semiconductor laminate member has such a structure that a first non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a P or N first conductivity type, an I-type second non-single-crystal semiconductor layer and a third non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type are laminated in this order. The first (or third) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is disposed on the side on which light is incident, and is P-type. The I-type non-single-crystal semiconductor layer has introduced thereinto a P-type impurity, such as boron which is distributed so that its concentration decreases towards the third (or first) non-single-crystal semiconductor layer in the thickwise direction of the I-type layer.

Abstract: The electro-migration of electrode metal takes place under an elevated temperature condition in amorphous silicon devices having conventional PI-type, NI-type, or PIN-type hydrogenated amorphous silicon layered structures, which substantially degrades the electrical characteristics of the devices. This problem is solved by forming a chemically inactive layer consisting mainly of amorphous silicon oxide on the surface of amorphous silicon layer by an aqueous washing and drying process, to establish electrical contacts through the chemically inactive layer between the hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer and either a collector electrode or a transparent electrode. This structure not only prevents such electromigration of electrode metal, but it also allows a greater freedom for choosing a material for the collector electrode.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a conductive substrate, a semiconductor layer formed on the conductive substrate and made of a non-single-crystal semiconductor material containing at least silicon atoms, and a transparent electrode stacked on the semiconductor layer, wherein the transparent electrode is made of a conductive oxide containing carbon atoms, nitrogen atoms, or both and the carbon and/or nitrogen atoms are contained in larger quantities in the portion of the transparent electrode adjacent to the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An image sensor comprising a plurality of photo-electric conversion elements formed by layering a metal electrode, a photo-electric conversion layer, and a translucent electrode, the translucent electrode being divided into individual electrodes which are provided for the respective photo-electric conversion elements, and wherein at least the surfaces of the photo-electric conversion layer adjoining the translucent electrodes which appear between the individual electrodes are removed.

Abstract: A light emitting device has an indium gallium arsenide phosphide luminescent layer between a first clad layer of n-type indium phosphide and a second clad layer of p-type indium phosphide, and a strained barrier layer of p-type indium aluminum arsenide is inserted between the luminescent layer and the second clad layer so as to increase the potential barrier therebetween, thereby improving the luminous efficiency and the saturation point of the light output.

Abstract: An amorphous Si/SiC heterojunction color-sensitive phototransistor was successfully fabricated by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The structure is glass/ITO/a-Si(n.sup.+ -i-p.sup.+)/a-SiC(i-n.sup.+)/Al. The device is a bulk barrier transistor with a wide-bandgap amorphous SiC emitter. The phototransistor revealed a very high optical gain of 40 and a response speed of 10 us at an input light power of 5 uW and a collector current of 0.12 mA at a voltage of 14 V. The peak response occurs at 610 nm under 1 V bias and changes to 420 and 540 nm under 7- and 13-V biases, respectively.

Abstract: A TFT device has an insulation substrate, a semiconductor layer formed on the insulation substrate, a pair of opposed electrodes formed on the semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor layer with an insulation film interposed therebetween, wherein a region doped with at least one type of impurity selected from atoms belonging to the V group of the periodic table is formed in the semiconductor layer at the vicinity of the interface between the semiconductor layer and the insulation layer.

Abstract: An image sensor is provided with a plurality of photodiodes each having a better forward-current responsiveness and a smaller dark current in the reverse direction. Each of the photodiodes includes a two-layered photoelectric conversion layer made of non-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon. One of these two layers, which has an interface that prevents electrons from escaping when photogenerated electric charge is stored, is deposited at a lower temperature than the other. The photodiodes are arranged in rows on a transparent electrode. The photodiodes operate in pairs, each pair corresponding to one picture element and having a first photodiode connected to a second photodiode in series, with opposite polarity. All the first photodiodes are connected to a detecting circuit and all the second photodiodes are connected to a pulse generating circuit.

Abstract: By arranging a Schottky diode so that it is sensitive to grazing light only in the back-bias mode, a switching element is obtained which, when used in, for example an active matrix LCD display, has a current-voltage characteristic which is comparable to that of a zener diode and can be driven in a reset mode.

Abstract: A photosensor device includes doped and undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon layers adjacent each other and sandwiched between a conductive layer on one side and a metal layer on the other side with the sensor having been annealed under a hydrogen atmosphere and exhibiting low dark currents. The photosensor device is particularly useful as an X-ray image sensing device with the addition of a luminescent layer having at least one X-ray phosphor.

Abstract: A bolometer for detecting radiation in a spectral range is described herein. The bolometer includes an integrated circuit substrate 122 and a pixel body 120 spaced from the substrate 122 by at least one pillar 124. The pixel body 120 comprises an absorber material 132, such as titanium for example, for absorbing radiation in the spectral range, which may be 7 to 12 microns for example. The absorber material 132 heats the pixel body 120 to a temperature which is proportional to the absorbed radiation. An insulating material 134 is formed over the absorber material 132. In addition, a variable resistor material 136, possible amorphous silicon for example, with an electrical resistance corresponding to the temperature of the pixel body 120 is formed over said insulating layer 134. A current flows through the variable resistor material 136 substantially parallel to the integrated circuit substrate 122 for detection. Other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of using measurements of the dc photocurrent produced by a photodetector to determine the wavelength or color of incident light, or to characterize certain properties of a semiconductor device or material. The intrinsic wavelength filtering ability of the photodetector is used as the basis for determining the wavelength of incident light by relating measurements of the dc photocurrent versus reverse bias voltage to the absorption coefficient of the semiconductor material from which the detector is fabricated. Color detection is accomplished by expressing the measured photocurrent as a linear combination of the photocurrents due to detection of each of the three primary colors. The coefficients of each of the terms of the linear combination are then varied to obtain the best fit to the measured photocurrent. This allows a determination of the color of the detected light based on the respective contributions of each of the primary colors to its actual color.

Abstract: Amorphous semiconductor thin film is exposed to an atmosphere of hydrogen radical during or after the formation of thin film, or is subject to light irradiation having a density of not less than 10 W/cm.sup.2 at a wavelength of 300 to 700 nm during the formation of the thin film. The obtained thin film has improved, i.e. small, photo deterioration. The semiconductor device using the above thin film is preferably applied to solar cells or thin film transistors.

Abstract: A device for reading an image (an image reading device) according to this invention comprises therein at least one photoelectric conversion semiconductor device provided on a substrate and at least one thin film transistor circuit element provided on the substrate wherein said photoelectric conversion semiconductor device and said thin film transistor circuit element comprise semiconductor regions obtained from one semiconductor film provided on said substrate.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell for use in a single junction or multijunction photovoltaic device, which includes a p-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon, an i-type layer of an amorphous semiconductor compound including silicon, and an n-type layer of a semiconductor compound including silicon formed on the i-type layer. The i-type layer including an undoped first sublayer formed on the p-type layer, and a boron-doped second sublayer formed on the first sublayer.

Abstract: A photoelectric converting device has non-monocrystalline semiconductor layers of PIN structure laminated on mutually isolated plural pixel electrodes. P- or N-doped layer on the pixel electrode contains at least a microcrystalline structure. N- or P-doped layer on the area other than the pixel electrode is amorphous.

Abstract: A phototransistor includes a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a crystalline semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type formed from a surface of the semiconductor substrate to a predetermined depth, a substantially intrinsic amorphous semiconductor layer formed on the crystalline semiconductor layer, and an amorphous semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type formed on the intrinsic amorphous semiconductor layer.

Abstract: In a matrix array of photosensitive elements, each photosensitive point is provided with a photosensitive element (pin photodiode) in series with a capacitor between a row lead and a column lead. It is proposed to make use of a simplified photosensitive element in which an end semiconductor layer is suppressed such as, for example, the n-layer of a pin photodiode or the n-layer of a five-layer phototransistor of the nipin type. The dielectric of the capacitor then comes directly into contact with an intrinsic semiconductor layer in which electrons accumulate. These electrons reconstitute the equivalent of an n-type doped layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device constituting a light detection element in which a photoconductive layer is sandwiched between a transparent electrode and a metal electrode, in which the metal electrode has a lamination structure consisted by two different metals, one of the metals on the photoconductive layer side being formed of tantalum (Ta) or tungsten (W), the other of the metals being formed of titanium (Ti). Thereby, silicide is prevented from being formed in the interface to the photoconductive layer, so that the titanium (Ti) can be made to act as a good etching stopper at the time of patterning the photoconductive layer by etching, and since titanium (Ti) which has high electrolytic-corrosion-proof is used as the metal electrode, it is possible to obtain a semiconductor device having high reliability.

Abstract: Scanning laser crystallization of p- and n- type hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloy cladding layers enhances the doping efficiency of such layers without changing the luminescence or other important properties of the middle i-layer in a p-i-n device. The dc dark conductivity of the doped layers increases by a factor of about 100 to about 10,000 above a sharp laser energy density threshold whose magnitude increases with decreasing impurity concentration. In one method, a doped amorphous silicon alloy layer is deposited on an amorphous glass substrate, scanned with laser irradiation, and then an intermediate i-layer is formed over this layer. Another doped amorphous silicon alloy layer is deposited on this layer, doped oppositely from the first doped layer. The second doped layer is then crystallized by scanning laser irradiation, leaving the underlying i-layer virtually unchanged in optical and electronic properties.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for producing microporous crystalline silicon which has a band-gap substantially increased relative to that of normal crystalline silicon. This process involves the preparation of quantum wires of silicon by means of a chemical attack method carried out on silicon that has been doped such that it conducts electricity substantially via the effective transport of electric charge by means of so-called holes. The microporous crystalline silicon thus produced is in the form of a discrete mass having a bulk-like, interconnected crystalline silicon structure of quantum wires whose band-gap is greater than normal crystalline silicon. Because of this increased band-gap this microporous crystalline silicon may be used as an active element in applications such as tandem solar cells.

Abstract: A thin film transistor photodetector which has the combined merits of the photodiode and the photoconductor without their problems. The resulting device of this process has a accumulation gate on the bottom of the active semiconductor layer and a transparent depletion gate on the top of the active semiconductor layer. The gate length of the depletion gate is smaller than that of the accumulation gate.

Abstract: A polycrystalline semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the device are disclosed. An amorphous semiconductor film is deposited on a glass substrate and given thermal treatment at a crystallization temperature of 600.degree. C. or lower to form a polycrystalline photoconductive strucutre. The substrate is made from a material having the property of contracting at a percentage different than the semiconductor film by 10% or less, the contraction being caused by the thermal treatment.

Abstract: Solid state photodetectors having amorphous silicon photodiode bodies with sloped sidewalls allowing for deposition of high integrity conformal layers thereover are produced by etching the amorphous silicon in a mostly anisotropic etchant in a reactive ion etcher in which the pressure of the etchant is controlled. A photoresist mask having sloped sidewalls is formed over the amorphous silicon to be etched and the pressure of the etchant is selected to produce the desired slope of the sidewall in the photodetector body; at lower pressures a smaller slope is produced in the silicon and at higher pressures a steeper slope is produced in the silicon.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device is caused to have a quick response against incident light by designing the photosensitive portion in such a way that photocurrent does flow only in the direction perpendicular to a semiconductor layer. The device is comprised of the semiconductor and a pair of electrodes so that the layer and the electrodes have the same area and the same shape.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises, at least, an insulative layer; a semiconductor layer provided in contact with the insulative layer; first and second electrodes provided in contact with the semiconductor layer; and a third electrode provided through the insulative layer. The semiconductor layer has a crystallite layer whose average grain diameter lies within a range from 50 to 350 .ANG. and an amorphous layer.

Abstract: A dry-etched amorphous silicon device which includes an amorphous silicon layer between upper and lower electrodes wherein the adverse effects of dangling silicon bonds on the periphery of the amorphous silicon layer are avoided by cutting back the peripheral surface of at least one of the electrodes to be radially inward of the peripheral surface of the amorphous silicon layer by at least one micron with respect to an axis of the device.

Abstract: A semiconductor device which has a non-single crystal semiconductor layer formed on a substrate and in which the non-single crystal semiconductor layer is composed of a first semiconductor region formed primarily of non-single crystal semiconductor and a second semi-conductor region formed primarily of semi-amorphous semiconductor. The second semi-conductor region has a higher degree of conductivity than the first semiconductor region so that a semi-conductor element may be formed.