Abstract: The method comprises forming a first silicon nitride film covering a pixel circuit section by thermal CVD; forming an opening in the first silicon nitride film by removing a first portion of the first silicon nitride film while remaining a second portion of the first silicon nitride film; forming a second silicon nitride film covering the opening by plasma CVD; forming an insulating film covering the first silicon nitride film and the second silicon nitride film and covering a peripheral transistor in the peripheral circuit section; and forming a contact plug passing through the insulating film and being in contact with the peripheral transistor.

Abstract: A 3C-SiC epitaxial layer is produced by a production method including: epitaxially growing a first 3C-SiC layer on a Si substrate; oxidizing the first 3C-SiC layer; removing an oxide film on a surface of the 3C-SiC layer; and epitaxially growing a second 3C-SiC layer on the 3C-SiC layer after the oxide film is removed.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device, where, with respect to a parasitic resistor in a current mirror circuit, a compensation resistor for compensating the parasitic resistor is provided in the current mirror circuit, the current mirror circuit includes at least two thin film transistors. The thin film transistors each have an island-shaped semiconductor film having a channel formation region and source or drain regions, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode, and source or drain electrodes, and the compensation resistor compensates the parasitic resistor of any one of the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. In addition, each compensation resistor has a conductive layer containing the same material as the gate electrode, the source or drain electrodes, or the source or drain regions.

Abstract: An avalanche photodiode detector is provided. The avalanche photodiode detector comprises an absorber region having an absorption layer for receiving incident photons and generating charged carriers; and a multiplier region having a multiplication layer; wherein the multiplier region is on a mesa structure separate from the absorber region and is coupled to the absorber region by a bridge for transferring charged carriers between the absorber region and multiplier region.

Abstract: A photoelectric element includes a first electrode; and a second electrode positioned so as to face the first electrode; and a semiconductor disposed on a face of the first electrode, the face being positioned so as to face the second electrode; and a photosensitizer carried on the semiconductor; and a first charge-transport layer interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a second charge-transport layer interposed between the first charge-transport layer and the second electrode. The first charge-transport layer and the second charge-transport layer contain different oxidation-reduction materials. The oxidation-reduction material in the first charge-transport layer has an oxidation-reduction potential higher than an oxidation-reduction potential of the oxidation-reduction material in the second charge-transport layer.

Abstract: An image sensor may include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of light receiving devices formed within the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of device isolation films for isolating the light receiving devices from each other. When an arrangement direction of a pixel array may be formed by arranging the light receiving devices is a horizontal direction, the pixel array may be formed by alternately arranging a first type light receiving device and a second type light receiving device having different horizontal lengths.

Abstract: The invention is an optoelectronic device comprising an active portion which converts light to electricity or converts electricity to light, the active portion having a front side for the transmittal of the light and a back side opposite from the front side, at least two electrical leads to the active portion to convey electricity to or from the active portion, an enclosure surrounding the active portion and through which the at least two electrical leads pass wherein the hermetically sealed enclosure comprises at the front side of the active portion a barrier material which allows for transmittal of light, one or more getter materials disposed so as to not impede the transmission of light to or from the active portion, and a contiguous gap pathway to the getter material which pathway is disposed between the active portion and the barrier material.

Abstract: A mask for partially blocking ultraviolet rays in TFT glass substrate manufacturing process is disclosed. The mask includes a panel pattern area for forming the panel patterns, and an additional pattern area for forming additional patterns in a rim of the panel pattern area. In addition, a TFT glass substrate and the manufacturing thereof are also disclosed. By arranging the additional patterns in the rim of the panel patterns, the microstructures in the rim of the panel patterns are substantially the same with that in the middle of the panel patterns.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention, an improved image sensor includes an array of germanium photosensitive elements integrated with a silicon substrate and integrated with silicon readout circuits. The silicon transistors are formed first on a silicon substrate, using well known silicon wafer fabrication techniques. The germanium elements are subsequently formed overlying the silicon by epitaxial growth. The germanium elements are advantageously grown within surface openings of a dielectric cladding. Wafer fabrication techniques are applied to the elements to form isolated germanium photodiodes. Since temperatures needed for germanium processing are lower than those for silicon processing, the formation of the germanium devices need not affect the previously formed silicon devices. Insulating and metallic layers are then deposited and patterned to interconnect the silicon devices and to connect the germanium devices to the silicon circuits.

Abstract: Transistors, methods of manufacturing thereof, and image sensor circuits are disclosed. In one embodiment, a transistor includes a buried channel disposed in a workpiece, a gate dielectric disposed over the buried channel, and a gate layer disposed over the gate dielectric. The gate layer comprises an I shape in a top view of the transistor.

Abstract: A metrology system for gauging and spatially mapping a semiconductor material on a substrate can be used in controlling deposition and thermal activation processes.

Abstract: A tandem solar cell structure includes a substrate, a conductive layer, a bottom solar cell combination and a top solar cell, The bottom solar cell combination includes a plurality of solar cell units and is disposed on the substrate. A conductive layer is disposed between the top solar cell and the bottom solar cell combination. The top solar cell is connected to one of the solar cell units in series. A wide energy distribution of the solar radiation can be absorbed through the tandem solar cell structure. The electrical series connection of the top solar cell and the solar cell units of the bottom solar cell combination reduces current mismatch between the top and bottom cells and enhances the overall system open circuit voltage due to more units in the bottom cell combination. The efficiency of the tandem solar cell structure is therefore improved considerably.

Abstract: Provided is a back side illuminated image sensor device. The image sensor device includes a substrate having a front side and a back side opposite the front side. The image sensor also includes a radiation-detection device that is formed in the substrate. The radiation-detection device is operable to detect a radiation wave that enters the substrate through the back side. The image sensor further includes a deep trench isolation feature that is disposed adjacent to the radiation-detection device. The image sensor device further includes a doped layer that at least partially surrounds the deep trench isolation feature in a conformal manner.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and an amorphous semi-insulating layer on the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging element includes a pixel having a photoelectric conversion section and a side pinning layer. The photoelectric conversion section is formed in a semiconductor substrate. The side pinning layer is formed on a side of the photoelectric conversion section. The side pinning layer is formed by performing ion implantation in a state of a trench being open, the trench being formed in a part on a side of a region in which the photoelectric conversion section is formed.

Abstract: An image sensor may include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of light receiving devices formed within the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of device isolation films for isolating the light receiving devices from each other. When an arrangement direction of a pixel array may be formed by arranging the light receiving devices is a horizontal direction, the pixel array may be formed by alternately arranging a first type light receiving device and a second type light receiving device having different horizontal lengths.

Abstract: A multiple-junction photoelectric device includes a substrate with a first conducting layer thereon, at least two elementary photoelectric devices of p-i-n or p-n configuration, with a second conducting layer thereon, and at least one intermediate layer between two adjacent elementary photoelectric devices. The intermediate layer has, on the incoming light side, opposite top and bottom faces, the top and bottom faces having respectively a surface morphology including inclined elementary surfaces so ?90bottom is smaller than ?90top by at least 3°, preferably 6°, more preferably 10°, and even more preferably 15°; where ?90top is the angle for which 90% of the elementary surfaces of the top face of the intermediate layer have an inclination equal to or less than this angle, and ?90bottom is the angle for which 90% of the elementary surfaces of the bottom face of the intermediate layer have an inclination equal to or less than this angle.

Abstract: A method of forming a mask for lithography includes the step of forming the mask by using reverse data in which positions of at least part of output terminals are reversed, when forming the mask for lithography used for manufacturing a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device which takes incident light from the side of a surface opposite to the side of a surface on which wiring of a device region in which photoelectric conversion elements are formed is formed.

Abstract: A solar panel module includes a transparent carrier and semi-conductor substrate portions that have a front surface and a rear surface. The front surface is arranged for capturing radiation energy. The semiconductor substrate portions are arranged adjacent to each other on the transparent carrier and are separated from each other by a groove. Each semiconductor substrate portion is attached with the front surface to the transparent carrier. Each groove includes a side wall of each of the adjacent semiconductor substrate portions. The front surface of each semiconductor substrate portion is provided with a doped layer of a first conductivity type. Each semiconductor substrate portion includes a first electric contact for minority charge carriers and a second electric contact for majority charge carriers in the semiconductor substrate portion. The first electric contact is arranged on at least the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate portion as a heterostructure of a first type.

Abstract: An optoelectronic semiconductor chip including a radiation passage area, where a contact metallization is applied to the radiation passage area, and a first reflective layer sequence is applied to that surface of the contact metallization which is remote from the radiation passage area, and an optoelectronic component that includes such a chip.

Abstract: A radiation detector includes a semiconductor substrate which contains front and rear major surfaces and at least one side surface, a guard ring and a plurality of anode electrode pixels located over the rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, where each anode electrode pixel is formed between adjacent pixel separation regions, a side insulating layer formed on the at least one side surface of the semiconductor substrate, a cathode electrode located over the front major surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an electrically conductive cathode extension formed over at least a portion of side insulating layer, where the cathode extension contacts an edge of the cathode electrode. Further embodiments include various methods of making such semiconductor radiation detector.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, a semiconductor compound layer is formed by causing a surface of a diffusion layer or gate electrode of a MOS transistor in the peripheral circuit region to react with a high melting point metal, then an insulating layer is formed in the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region after the step of forming a semiconductor compound layer. A contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a diffusion layer in the pixel region, and a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor compound layer formed in the peripheral circuit region. These holes are formed at different timings. Prior to forming the hole which is formed later, a contact plug is formed in the contact hole which is formed earlier.

Abstract: An image sensor including a pixel array having a floating diffusion region of a pixel which is disposed in a substrate, the floating diffusion region to receive a charge from a photosensitive region. In an embodiment, a transfer gate disposed on the substrate, wherein a portion of the transfer gate forms a cavity extending through the transfer gate. In another embodiment, a cavity extending through a transfer gate exposes a floating diffusion region.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes: forming a first circuit substrate having a first interconnection; forming a second circuit substrate having a second interconnection; bonding the first circuit substrate to the top surface of the second circuit substrate so as to be stacked facing each other; and performing an etching process of simultaneously removing parts formed on the first interconnection and the second interconnection in a stacked body of the first circuit substrate and the second circuit substrate so as to form a first opening in the top surface of the first interconnection and to form a second opening in the top surface of the second interconnection. The forming of the first circuit substrate includes forming an etching stopper layer on the surface of the first interconnection out of a material having an etching rate lower than that of the first interconnection in the etching process.

Abstract: A process and structure of a backside illumination (BSI) image sensor are disclosed. An n-type doped region is formed in a substrate, and a transfer gate is formed on top of the semiconductor substrate. A p-type doped region is formed in the n-type doped region either using the transfer gate as a mask or is non-self aligned formed.

Abstract: A semiconductor photodetector may provide charge carrier avalanche multiplication at high field regions of a semiconductor material layer. A semiconductor current amplifier may provide current amplification by impact ionization near a high field region. A plurality of metal electrodes are formed on a surface of a semiconductor material layer and electrically biased to produce a non-uniform high electric field in which the high electric field strength accelerates avalanche electron-hole pair generation, which is employed as an effective avalanche multiplication photodetection mechanism or as an avalanche impact ionization current amplification mechanism.

Abstract: A method for forming a tileable detector array is presented.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes forming a composite semiconductor structure for altering a rate of thermal expansion of a first substrate. The composite semiconductor structure is formed by atomically bonding a first surface of a thermal matching substrate to a first surface of the first substrate, and atomically bonding a second surface of the thermal matching substrate to a first surface of a balancing substrate. The thermal matching substrate is adapted to alter the rate of thermal expansion of the first substrate and the balancing substrate is adapted to substantially prevent warping of the composite semiconductor structure.

Abstract: Solar cells attached to a contact lens are provided, as well as methods for making the solar cells and contact lenses. The solar cells have electrodes on only one side of the device, which facilitates attachment of the solar cell to a contact lens. In one embodiment, the solar cells are made using a “two sided” process. By using the two-sided process, solar cells of only a few microns in thickness can be fabricated. Such relatively thin solar cells can be incorporated into a contact lens without discomfort to the wearer. By providing an infinitely renewable power source on a contact lens, the solar cells enable the use of electronic components on the contact lens while eliminating the recharging or replacing issues that arise with batteries.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes steps of providing a substrate including a semiconductor portion, a non-porous semiconductor layer, and a porous semiconductor layer arranged between the semiconductor portion and the non-porous semiconductor layer, forming a porous oxide layer by oxidizing the porous semiconductor layer, forming a bonded substrate by bonding a supporting substrate to a surface, on a side of the non-porous semiconductor layer, of the substrate on which the porous oxide layer is formed, and separating the semiconductor portion from the bonded substrate by utilizing the porous oxide layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a mask for lithography includes the step of forming the mask by using reverse data in which positions of at least part of output terminals are reversed, when forming the mask for lithography used for manufacturing a back-illuminated solid-state imaging device which takes incident light from the side of a surface opposite to the side of a surface on which wiring of a device region in which photoelectric conversion elements are formed is formed.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device includes: a plurality of unit pixels including at least a photoelectric converting section, a charge-to-voltage converting section, and one or more transfer means for transferring a charge in a predetermined path; a light shielding film for shielding a surface of the plurality of unit pixels excluding at least a light receiving section of the photoelectric converting section from light; and voltage controlling means for controlling a voltage applied to the light shielding film; wherein transfer of the charge by one of the transfer means is controlled by controlling the voltage applied to the light shielding film.

Abstract: Provided is a solid-state image pickup device including: a plurality of pixels, each of which includes a photoelectric conversion portion and a pixel transistor formed in a front surface side of a substrate, wherein a rear surface side of the substrate is set as a light receiving plane of the photoelectric conversion portion; and an element, which becomes a passive element or an active element, which is disposed in the front surface side of the substrate so as to be superimposed on the photoelectric conversion portion.

Abstract: A photodetector is formed to have a germanium detector on a waveguide. The germanium detector has a first surface on the waveguide and a second surface that, when exposed to ambient conditions, forms germanium oxide. In a processing platform, an oxygen-free plasma is applied to the second surface. The oxygen-free plasma removes oxygen that is bonded to germanium at the second surface. A cap layer is formed on the second surface prior to removing the germanium detector from the processing platform.

Abstract: Presented invention describes the approach for manufacturing of the pixels for solid state imaging devices possessing a photon detection efficiency superior to those currently available. Formation of a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) in close vicinity of the photodiode in such a way that accumulation area of the photodiode also represents its collector region allows for conversion of the photo carriers which cannot be accumulated in a regular 4T pixel, usually holes, into complimentary type carriers, usually electrons, that can be stored, read out and converted to electric signal. This transistor can be formed, for example, by creating a n+ region inside the surface p layer of the pinned photodiode. In the described structure the accumulation region is isolated from the surface and operation of the new pixel is otherwise similar to the 4T pixel operation. As a result, both main advantages of 4T pixel: low dark current and kTC noise cancellation are, therefore, preserved.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, a semiconductor compound layer is formed by causing a surface of a diffusion layer or gate electrode of a MOS transistor in the peripheral circuit region to react with a high melting point metal, then an insulating layer is formed in the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region after the step of forming a semiconductor compound layer. A contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a diffusion layer in the pixel region, and a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor compound layer formed in the peripheral circuit region. These holes are formed at different timings. Prior to forming the hole which is formed later, a contact plug is formed in the contact hole which is formed earlier.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is provided. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device includes a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer deposited over the substrate, and a plurality of electrical conductive paths disposed in electrical contact with the TCO layer, wherein the plurality of electrical conductive paths extend discontinuously across opposing sides of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solid-state imaging device in which a charge generator that detects an electromagnetic wave and generates signal charges is formed on a semiconductor substrate and a negative-charge accumulated layer having negative fixed charges is formed above a detection plane of the charge generator, the method includes the steps of: forming an oxygen-feed film capable of feeding oxygen on the detection plane of the charge generator; forming a metal film that covers the oxygen-feed film on the detection plane of the charge generator; and performing heat treatment for the metal film in an inactive atmosphere to thereby form an oxide of the metal film between the metal film and the oxygen-feed film on the detection plane of the charge generator, the oxide being to serve as the negative-charge accumulated layer.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor includes isolation regions and a photo diode region formed in a substrate, gate electrodes formed on the substrate, impurity injection regions formed in the substrate respectively positioned between the gate electrodes and the isolation regions, silicide regions formed on upper surfaces of the gate electrodes and the impurity injection regions, a first insulating layer formed on a surface of the photodiode region and sides of the gate electrodes, a second insulating layer formed on the first insulating layer, a third insulating layer formed on the second insulating layer, an interlayer insulating layer formed to cover the third insulating layer, and via plugs vertically passing through the interlayer insulating layer and connected to the silicide regions.

Abstract: A demodulation pixel improves the charge transport speed and sensitivity by exploiting two effects of charge transport in silicon in order to achieve the before-mentioned optimization. The first one is a transport method based on the CCD gate principle. However, this is not limited to CCD technology, but can be realized also in CMOS technology. The charge transport in a surface or even a buried channel close to the surface is highly efficient in terms of speed, sensitivity and low trapping noise. In addition, by activating a majority carrier current flowing through the substrate, another drift field is generated below the depleted CCD channel. This drift field is located deeply in the substrate, acting as an efficient separator for deeply photo-generated electron-hole pairs. Thus, another large amount of minority carriers is transported to the diffusion nodes at high speed and detected.

Abstract: Provided is an epitaxial substrate for a back-illuminated image sensor and a manufacturing method thereof that is capable of suppressing metal contaminations and reducing occurrence of a white spot defect of the image sensor, by maintaining a sufficient gettering performance in a device process. The present invention includes forming a gettering sink immediately below a surface of a high-oxygen silicon substrate, forming a first epitaxial layer on the surface of the high-oxygen silicon substrate, and forming a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer, in which the step of forming the gettering sink includes forming an oxygen precipitate region by applying a long-time heat treatment at a temperature of 650-1150° C. to the high-oxygen silicon substrate.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes forming a composite semiconductor structure for altering a rate of thermal expansion of a first substrate. The composite semiconductor structure is formed by atomically bonding a first surface of a thermal matching substrate to a first surface of the first substrate, and atomically bonding a second surface of the thermal matching substrate to a first surface of a balancing substrate. The thermal matching substrate is adapted to alter the rate of thermal expansion of the first substrate and the balancing substrate is adapted to substantially prevent warping of the composite semiconductor structure.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a photoelectric conversion unit that includes a first region of a first conductivity type and a second region of a second conductivity type between which a pn junction is formed, the first region and the second region being formed in a signal-readout surface of a semiconductor substrate, the second region being located at a position deeper than the first region; and a transfer transistor configured to transfer signal charges accumulated in the photoelectric conversion unit to a readout drain through a channel region that lies under a surface of the first region and horizontally adjacent to the photoelectric conversion unit, the transfer transistor being formed in the signal-readout surface. The transfer transistor includes a transfer gate electrode that extends from above the channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween to above the first region so as to extend across a step.

Abstract: A semiconductor photodetector structure is provided. The structure includes a substrate, a photodetecting element and a semiconductor layer disposed on the photodetecting element. The substrate includes a first semiconductor material and includes a deep trench. The surface of the deep trench includes a first type dopant. The photodetecting element is disposed in the deep trench. The photodetecting element includes a second semiconductor material. The semiconductor layer includes a second type dopant.

Abstract: A semiconductor photodetector may provide charge carrier avalanche multiplication at high field regions of a semiconductor material layer. A semiconductor current amplifier may provide current amplification by impact ionization near a high field region. A plurality of metal electrodes are formed on a surface of a semiconductor material layer and electrically biased to produce a non-uniform high electric field in which the high electric field strength accelerates avalanche electron-hole pair generation, which is employed as an effective avalanche multiplication photodetection mechanism or as an avalanche impact ionization current amplification mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention provides radiation detectors with high detection sensitivity. The radiation detectors according to the present invention each include an Al2O3 substrate, a CaxCoO2 (where 0.15<x<0.55) thin film that is layered on the Al2O3 substrate and that has CoO2 planes that are aligned inclined to the surface of the Al2O3 substrate, a first electrode disposed on the CaxCoO2 thin film, and a second electrode disposed on the CaxCoO2 thin film in a position opposed to the first electrode in the direction in which the CoO2 planes are aligned inclined. The surface of the Al2O3 substrate is an n plane or an S plane.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device includes a photoelectric conversion region having a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements and a first MOS transistor configured to read a signal in response to an electric charge of each photoelectric conversion element; and a peripheral circuit region having a second MOS transistor configured to drive the first MOS transistor and/or amplify the signal read from the photoelectric conversion region, the photoelectric conversion region and the peripheral circuit region being located on the same semiconductor substrate, wherein an impurity concentration in a drain of the first MOS transistor is lower than an impurity concentration in a drain of the second MOS transistor.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a pixel region and a peripheral circuit region, a semiconductor compound layer is formed by causing a surface of a diffusion layer or gate electrode of a MOS transistor in the peripheral circuit region to react with a high melting point metal, then an insulating layer is formed in the pixel region and the peripheral circuit region after the step of forming a semiconductor compound layer. A contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose a diffusion layer in the pixel region, and a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer to expose the semiconductor compound layer formed in the peripheral circuit region. These holes are formed at different timings. Prior to forming the hole which is formed later, a contact plug is formed in the contact hole which is formed earlier.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electronic semiconductive component comprising at least one layer (2,3) of a p-type or n-type material, wherein the layer of a said p- or n-type material is constituted by a metal hydride having a chosen dopant. The invention also relates to methods for producing the component.

Abstract: A method for manufacture of application specific solar cells includes providing and processing custom design information to determine at least a cell size and a cell shape. The method includes providing a transparent substrate having a back surface region, a front surface region, and one or more grid-line regions overlying the front side surface region. The one or more grid regions provide one or more unit cells having the cell size and the cell shape. The method further includes forming a layered structure including photovoltaic materials overlying the front surface region.