Abstract: A method for making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes steps of disposing a window layer on a substrate and disposing an absorber layer on the window layer. Disposing the window layer, the absorber layer, or both layers includes introducing a source material into a deposition zone, wherein the source material comprises oxygen and a constituent of the window layer, of the absorber layer or of both layers. The method further includes step of depositing a film that comprises the constituent and oxygen.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, narrow bandgap II-VI compound semiconductor HgxCd1-xTe (0.1?x?0.5) (HgCdTe) wafers are annealed under Cd supersaturated conditions by exposing the HgCdTe planar or mesa surfaces to a Cd molecular beam in a vacuum deposition system before, during, and/or after anneals performed during individual photodiode fabrication process steps or HgCdTe epitaxial growth steps for eliminating or neutralizing the bulk or interfacial defects.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a high-speed laser power converter (LPC). The LPC is able to be cascaded. The LPC has a high-speed photodiode (PD) performance even operated under a forward bias operational voltage. Thus, the present disclosure can generate power (instead of consume power) during high-speed data transmission in an optical interconnect (OI) system using 850 nano-meters (nm) wavelength vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL).

Abstract: A method for making a photovoltaic device is presented. The method includes steps of disposing a window layer on a substrate and disposing an absorber layer on the window layer. Disposing the window layer, the absorber layer, or both layers includes introducing a source material into a deposition zone, wherein the source material comprises oxygen and a constituent of the window layer, of the absorber layer or of both layers. The method further includes step of depositing a film that comprises the constituent and oxygen.

Abstract: In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, narrow bandgap II-VI compound semiconductor HgxCd1-xTe (0.1?x?0.5) (HgCdTe) wafers are annealed under Cd supersaturated conditions by exposing the HgCdTe planar or mesa surfaces to a Cd molecular beam in a vacuum deposition system before, during, and/or after anneals performed during individual photodiode fabrication process steps or HgCdTe epitaxial growth steps for eliminating or neutralizing the bulk or interfacial defects.

Abstract: A wafer-scale x-ray detector and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The wafer-scale x-ray detector includes: a seamless silicon substrate electrically connected to a printed circuit substrate; a chip array having a plurality of pixel pads formed on a central region thereof and a plurality of pin pads formed at edges thereof on the seamless silicon substrate; a plurality of pixel electrodes formed to correspond to the pixel pads; vertical wirings and horizontal wirings formed to compensate a difference of regions expanded towards the pixel electrodes from the pixel pads between the chip array and the pixel electrodes; a redistribution layer having an insulating layer to separate the vertical wirings and the horizontal wirings; and a photoconductor layer and a common electrode which cover the pixel electrodes on the redistribution layer.

Abstract: According to a radiation detector manufacturing method, a radiation detector and a radiographic apparatus of this invention, Cl-doped CdZnTe is employed for a conversion layer, with Cl concentration set to 1 ppm wt to 3 ppm wt inclusive, and Zn concentration set to 1 mol % to 5 mol % inclusive. This can form the conversion layer optimal for the radiation detector. Consequently, the radiation detector manufacturing method, the radiation detector and the radiographic apparatus can be provided which can protect the defect level of crystal grain boundaries by Cl doping in a proper concentration, and can further maintain integral sensitivity to radiation, while reducing leakage current, by Zn doping in a proper concentration.

Abstract: The highly mismatched alloy Zn1-yMnyOxTe1-x, 0?y<1 and 0<x<1 and other Group II-IV-Oxygen implanted alloys have been synthesized using the combination of oxygen ion implantation and pulsed laser melting. Incorporation of small quantities of isovalent oxygen leads to the formation of a narrow, oxygen-derived band of extended states located within the band gap of the Zn1-yMnyTe host. With multiple band gaps that fall within the solar energy spectrum, Zn1-yMnyOxTe1-x is a material perfectly satisfying the conditions for single-junction photovoltaics with the potential for power conversion efficiencies surpassing 50%.

Abstract: An element of photodetection of a radiation having a wavelength in vacuum close to a value ?0, including: a semiconductor layer of index ns and of a thickness ranging between ?0/4 ns and ?0/20 ns; on one side of the semiconductor layer, a first medium of index n1 smaller than ns, transparent to said wavelength; on the other side of the semiconductor layer: a region of a second medium of index n2 smaller than ns, having a width L substantially equal to ?0/ns and, on either side of said region, a third medium, of index n3 greater than index n2, forming a reflective interface with the second medium.

Abstract: Cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic devices are generally disclosed including an intermixed layer of cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride between a cadmium sulfide layer and a cadmium telluride layer. The intermixed layer generally has an increasing tellurium concentration and decreasing sulfur concentration extending in a direction from the cadmium sulfide layer towards the cadmium telluride layer. Methods are also generally disclosed for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device having an intermixed layer of cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride.

Abstract: A radiation converter includes a directly converting semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer includes grains whose interfaces at least predominantly run parallel to a drift direction—constrained by an electric field—of electrons liberated in the semiconductor layer. in at least one embodiment, the charge carriers liberated by incident radiation quanta are accelerated in the electric field in the direction of the radiation incidence direction and on account of the columnar or pillar-like texture of the semiconductor layer, in comparison with the known radiation detectors, cross significantly fewer interfaces of the grains that are occupied by defect sites. This increases the charge carrier lifetime/mobility product in the direction of charge carrier transport. Consequently, it is possible to realize significantly thicker semiconductor layers for the counting and/or energy-selective detection of radiation quanta.

Abstract: A radiation detector comprising a II-VI compound semiconductor substrate that absorbs radiation having a first energy, a II-VI compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type provided on a main surface of the II-VI compound semiconductor substrate, a metal layer containing at least one of a group III element and a group V element provided on the II-VI compound semiconductor layer, a IV semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type provided on the metal layer, and a IV semiconductor substrate that absorbs radiation having a second energy different from the first energy provided on the IV semiconductor layer.

Abstract: Photosensitive semiconductor devices and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a photosensitive semiconductor device can include an electromagnetic radiation absorption layer having a thickness of less than or equal to about 200 ?m, wherein the electromagnetic radiation absorption layer includes a semiconductor material and an enhanced absorption region. The electromagnetic radiation absorption layer is operable to absorb greater than or equal to about 40% of incident electromagnetic radiation having at least one wavelength greater than or equal to about 1064 nm.

Abstract: A photovoltaic semiconductor solution comprising at least an equimolar mixture of cadmium, tellurium, gallium and indium; propylene glycol flux; carbon; resin in an organic solvent; strontium titanate; and high molecular weight polymer. The photovoltaic semiconductor solution provides charged free electrons on application of light to the photovoltaic semiconductor solution. Another embodiment relates to a solar cell comprising first and second electrode layers; a photovoltaic semiconductor layer disposed between the first and second electrodes; a first membrane disposed between the first electrode and the semiconductor layer and a second membrane disposed between the second electrode and the semiconductor layer. The first membrane is an electron acceptor layer and the second membrane in an insulator. The PV semiconductor layer includes the PV semiconductor solution. Each of the layers of the solar cell are formed on a substrate.

Abstract: A radiation detector is provided that includes a photodiode having a radiation absorber with a graded multilayer structure. Each layer of the absorber is formed from a semiconductor material, such as HgCdTe. A first of the layers is formed to have a first predetermined wavelength cutoff. A second of the layers is disposed over the first layer and beneath the first surface of the absorber through which radiation is received. The second layer has a graded composition structure of the semiconductor material such that the wavelength cutoff of the second layer varies from a second predetermined wavelength cutoff to the first predetermined wavelength cutoff such that the second layer has a progressively smaller bandgap than the first bandgap of the first layer. The graded multilayer radiation absorber structure enables carriers to flow toward a conductor that is used for measuring the radiation being sensed by the radiation absorber.

Abstract: An element of photodetection of a radiation having a wavelength in vacuum close to a value ?0, including: a semiconductor layer of index ns and of a thickness ranging between ?0/4 ns and ?0/20 ns; on one side of the semiconductor layer, a first medium of index n1 smaller than ns, transparent to said wavelength; on the other side of the semiconductor layer: a region of a second medium of index n2 smaller than ns, having a width L substantially equal to ?0/ns and, on either side of said region, a third medium, of index n3 greater than index n2, forming a reflective interface with the second medium.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a thin-film semiconductor device. The method includes providing a plurality of raw semiconductor materials. The raw semiconductor materials undergo a pre-reacting process to form a homogeneous compound semiconductor material. This pre-reaction typically includes processing above the liquidus temperature of the compound semiconductor. The compound semiconductor material is reduced to a particulate form and deposited onto a substrate to form a thin-film having a composition and atomic structure substantially the same as a composition and atomic structure of the compound semiconductor material.

Abstract: A photo-detector comprising: a photo absorbing layer comprising an n-doped semiconductor exhibiting a valence band energy level; a barrier layer, a first side of the barrier layer adjacent a first side of the photo absorbing layer, the barrier layer exhibiting a valence band energy level substantially equal to the valence band energy level of the doped semiconductor of the photo absorbing layer; and a contact area comprising a doped semiconductor, the contact area being adjacent a second side of the barrier layer opposing the first side, the barrier layer exhibiting a thickness and a conductance band gap sufficient to prevent tunneling of majority carriers from the photo absorbing layer to the contact area and block the flow of thermalized majority carriers from the photo absorbing layer to the contact area. Alternatively, a p-doped semiconductor is utilized, and conductance band energy levels of the barrier and photo absorbing layers are equalized.

Abstract: A detector of incident infrared radiation has a first region with a first spectral response, and a second region with a second, different spectral response. The second absorption region is stacked on the first and may be separated therefrom by a region in which the chemical composition of the compound semiconductor is graded. Separate contacts are provided to the first and second absorption regions and a further common contact is provided so as to permit the application of either a bias voltage or a skimming voltage across the respective pn junctions. The detector may be operated such that a preselected one of the absorption regions responds to incident infrared radiation of a predetermined waveband while the other absorption region acts as a skimmer of dark current, thereby enhancing the signal to noise ratio of the detector.

Abstract: A photosensitive diode has an active region defining a majority carrier of a first conductivity type and a minority carrier of a second conductivity type. An extraction region is disposed on a first side of the active region and extracts minority carriers from the active region. It also has majority carriers within the extraction region flowing toward the active region in a condition of reverse bias. An exclusion region is disposed on a second side of the active region and has minority carriers within the exclusion region flowing toward the active region. It receives majority carriers from the active region. At least one of the extraction and exclusion region provides a barrier for substantially reducing flow of one of the majority carriers or the minority carriers, whichever is flowing toward the active region, while permitting flow of the other minority carriers or majority carriers flowing out of the active region.

Abstract: Device and method of forming a device in which a substrate (10) is fabricated with at least part of an electronic circuit for processing signals. A bulk single crystal material (14) is formed on the substrate, either directly on the substrate (10) or with an intervening thin film layer or transition region (12). A particular application of the device is for a radiation detector.

Abstract: A photodiode for detection of preferably very long wavelength infrared radiation wherein low energy photons are absorbed in one region and detected in another. In one example embodiment, an absorbing P region is abutted with an N region of lower doping such that the depletion region is substantially (preferably completely) confined to the N region. The N region is also chosen with a larger bandgap than the P region, with compositional grading of a region of the N region near the P region. This compositional grading mitigates the barrier between the respective bandgaps. Under reverse bias, the barrier is substantially reduced or disappears, allowing charge carriers to move from the absorbing P region into the N region (and beyond) where they are detected. The N region bandgap is chosen to be large enough that the dark current is limited by thermal generation from the field-free p-type absorbing volume, and also large enough to eliminate tunnel currents in the wide bandgap region of the diode.