An image sensor includes a substrate including a photoelectric conversion part therein, and a fixed charge layer provided above the substrate. The fixed charge layer includes a first metal oxide and a second metal oxide, which are different from each other. The first metal oxide includes a first metal, and the second metal oxide includes a second metal different from the first metal. Concentration of the first metal in the fixed charge layer progressively increases from an upper portion of the fixed charge layer to a lower portion of the fixed charge layer.

A two-terminal photon-effect transistor (PET) is described that simplifies the photo sensing pixel by combing photodiode and field effect transistor dual functions into one simple but effective unit. Photons excite electrons from the valance band of semiconducting material as the electrode-free gate to modulate resistivity between source and drain, which directly results in current amplification of photo signal without traditional photo-electrical conversion and electrical amplification dual processes. PET possesses significance in both structural simplification and functional enhancement. As an implementing example of PET, a nanowire camera (NC) with large sensing area and extremely high resolution is fabricated by integrating millions of vertically aligned nanowire arrays in-between of orthogonal top and bottom nano-stripe electrodes. Each nanowire works as independent three-dimensional (3D) PET pixel, enabling the NC an ultra-high resolution and much simplified architecture. NC has pixel size of 50 nm which is two orders higher than existing CCD and CMOS image sensors.

A two-terminal photon-effect transistor (PET) is described that simplifies the photo sensing pixel by combing photodiode and field effect transistor dual functions into one simple but effective unit. Photons excite electrons from the valance band of semiconducting material as the electrode-free gate to modulate resistivity between source and drain, which directly results in current amplification of photo signal without traditional photo-electrical conversion and electrical amplification dual processes. PET possesses significance in both structural simplification and functional enhancement. As an implementing example of PET, a nanowire camera (NC) with large sensing area and extremely high resolution is fabricated by integrating millions of vertically aligned nanowire arrays in-between of orthogonal top and bottom nano-stripe electrodes. Each nanowire works as independent three-dimensional (3D) PET pixel, enabling the NC an ultra-high resolution and much simplified architecture. NC has pixel size of 50 nm which is two orders higher than existing CCD and CMOS image sensors.

The present invention provides a zinc nitride compound suitable for electronic devices such as high-speed transistors, high-efficiency visible light-emitting devices, high-efficiency solar cells, and high-sensitivity visible light sensors. The zinc nitride compound is represented, for example, by the chemical formula CaZn.sub.2N.sub.2 or the chemical formula X.sup.1.sub.2ZnN.sub.2 wherein X.sup.1 is Be or Mg. The zinc nitride compound is preferably synthesized at a high pressure of 1 GPa or more.

The present invention provides a zinc nitride compound suitable for electronic devices such as high-speed transistors, high-efficiency visible light-emitting devices, high-efficiency solar cells, and high-sensitivity visible light sensors. The zinc nitride compound is represented, for example, by the chemical formula CaZn.sub.2N.sub.2 or the chemical formula X.sup.1.sub.2ZnN.sub.2 wherein X.sup.1 is Be or Mg. The zinc nitride compound is preferably synthesized at a high pressure of 1 GPa or more.

A Mie photo sensor is described. A Mie photo sensor is configured to leverage Mie scattering to implement a photo sensor having a resonance. The resonance is based on various physical and material properties of the Mie photo sensor. In an example, a Mie photo sensor includes a layer of semiconductor material with one or more mesas. Each mesa of semiconductor material may include a scattering center. The scattering center is formed by the semiconductor material of the mesa being at least partially surround by a material with a different refractive index than the semiconductor material. The abutting refractive index materials create an interface that forms a scattering center and localizes the generation of free carriers during Mie resonance. One or more electrical contacts may be made to the mesa to measure the electrical properties of the mesa.

An imaging device includes: a semiconductor substrate; pixel electrodes located above the semiconductor substrate and each electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate; a counter electrode located above the pixel electrodes; a first photoelectric conversion layer located between the counter electrode and the pixel electrodes; and at least one first light-shielding body located in or above the first photoelectric conversion layer. The first photoelectric conversion layer contains a semiconducting carbon nanotube that absorbs light in a first wavelength range and an organic molecule that covers the semiconducting carbon nanotube, absorbs light in a second wavelength range, and emits fluorescence in a third wavelength range. The at least one first light-shielding body absorbs or reflects light with a wavelength in at least part of the second wavelength range.

A solid-state imaging element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a photoelectric conversion layer including first semiconductor nanoparticles; and a buffer layer including second semiconductor nanoparticles. A p-n junction surface is formed at an interface between the photoelectric conversion layer and the buffer layer. A product of a carrier concentration and a film thickness of the buffer layer is larger than a product of a carrier concentration of the photoelectric conversion layer and a diffusion length of a minority carrier, and a thickness of a depletion region formed in the photoelectric conversion layer is maximized.

A semiconductor body of a first type of conductivity is formed including a base layer, a first further layer on the base layer and a second further layer on the first further layer. The base layer and the second further layer have an intrinsic doping or a doping concentration that is lower than the doping concentration of the first further layer. A doped region of an opposite second type of conductivity is arranged in the semiconductor body, penetrates the first further layer and extends into the base layer and into the second further layer. Anode and cathode terminals are electrically connected to the first further layer and the doped region, respectively. The doped region can be produced by filling a trench with doped polysilicon.

A semiconductor body of a first type of conductivity is formed including a base layer, a first further layer on the base layer and a second further layer on the first further layer. The base layer and the second further layer have an intrinsic doping or a doping concentration that is lower than the doping concentration of the first further layer. A doped region of an opposite second type of conductivity is arranged in the semiconductor body, penetrates the first further layer and extends into the base layer and into the second further layer. Anode and cathode terminals are electrically connected to the first further layer and the doped region, respectively. The doped region can be produced by filling a trench with doped polysilicon.