A method for fabricating thin-film optoelectronic devices (100), the method comprising: providing a alkali-nondiffusing substrate (110), forming a back-contact layer (120); forming at least one absorber layer (130) made of an ABC chalcogenide material, adding least one and advantageously at least two different alkali metals, and forming at least one front-contact layer (150) wherein one of said alkali metals comprise Rb and/or Cs and where, following forming said front-contact layer, in the interval of layers (470) from back-contact layer (120), exclusive, to front-contact layer (150), inclusive, the comprised amounts resulting from adding alkali metals are, for Rb and/or Cs, in the range of 500 to 10000 ppm and, for the other alkali metals, typically Na or K, in the range of 5 to 2000 ppm and at most ½ and at least 1/2000 of the comprised amount of Rb and/or Cs. The method (200) is advantageous for more environmentally-friendly production of photovoltaic devices on flexible substrates with high photovoltaic conversion efficiency and faster production rate.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for low noise and high efficiency photoelectric amplification based on cycling excitation process (CEP). In some aspects, a device for amplifying signals of light-induced photocurrent includes an anode connected to a positive terminal of a voltage source; a disordered material layer coupled to the anode, wherein the disordered material layer is structured to have a thickness of 100 nm or less; and a cathode coupled to the disordered material layer and connected to a negative terminal of the voltage source, in which the device is operable to amplify photoexcited carriers based on photon absorption to produce an external quantum efficiency of the device that is at least 100%.

A solar electricity generation system is provided for generating electrical current from an improved solar system. The solar electricity generation system may include semiconductor layers, a thermoelectric component, angular configuration, and a monitoring component. A bias current may be applied to amplify the electrical power generated by the semiconductor layers. A method for generating electrical current from an improved solar system using the solar electricity generation system is also provided.

Embodiments of a solid state photomultiplier are provided herein. In some embodiments, a solid state photomultiplier may include an epitaxial layer, a high voltage region formed in the epitaxial layer, a low voltage region formed in the epitaxial layer, and an intermediate region disposed between the high voltage region and low voltage region, wherein the high voltage region is electrically coupled to the low voltage region via the intermediate region, and wherein at least a portion of the epitaxial layer is disposed between the high voltage region and intermediate region and between the low voltage region and the intermediate region.

A solar cell includes: a crystalline semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first semiconductor layer provided on a first region on one principal surface of the substrate; a second semiconductor layer provided on a second region on the one principal surface different from the first region; a first transparent electrode layer provided on the first semiconductor layer; and a second transparent electrode layer provided on the second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer includes a first amorphous semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type and a first crystalline semiconductor part extending from the one principal surface toward the first transparent electrode layer. The second semiconductor layer includes a second amorphous semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type.

A photodetector structure includes a substrate including a semiconductor film, a light absorption layer which is in contact with the semiconductor film and includes germanium (Ge), on the substrate, a first coating layer which wraps at least a part of a side surface of the light absorption layer, on the substrate, and an optical waveguide which is in contact with the light absorption layer and includes silicon nitride (SiN), on the first coating layer, wherein a lower surface of the optical waveguide is higher than a lower surface of the light absorption layer.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor element comprising a single photon avalanche diode having a multiplication zone (AR) a guard ring structure with a second type of electrical conductivity comprises providing a semiconductor wafer with a first region (R) comprising a semiconductor material with the first type of conductivity. The method further comprises generating by a first doping process a first well (W1) of the guard ring structure having a first vertical depth, the first well (W1) laterally surrounding the multiplication zone (AR) and having a lateral distance (A) from the multiplication zone (AR). The method further comprises generating by a second doping process a second well (W2) of the guard ring structure having a second vertical depth, the second well (W2) laterally surrounding and adjoining a part of the first region for laterally defining the multiplication zone (AR).

A photovoltaic device includes: a p- or n-type semiconductor substrate; a p-type amorphous semiconductor film and an n-type amorphous semiconductor film on a first-face side; p-electrodes on the p-type amorphous semiconductor film; and n-electrodes on the n-type amorphous semiconductor film, wherein: the p-electrodes and the n-electrodes are arranged at intervals; the p-type amorphous semiconductor film surrounds the n-type amorphous semiconductor film in an in-plane direction of the semiconductor substrate; the n-type amorphous semiconductor film has an edge portion providing an overlapping region where the n-type amorphous semiconductor film overlaps the p-type amorphous semiconductor film; and the n-electrodes are disposed in areas of the n-type amorphous semiconductor film that are surrounded by the overlapping region.

An electromagnetic radiation detector includes an InP substrate having a first surface opposite a second surface; a first InGaAs electromagnetic radiation absorber stacked on the first surface and configured to absorb a first set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths; a set of one or more buffer layers stacked on the first InGaAs electromagnetic radiation absorber and configured to absorb at least some of the first set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths; a second InGaAs electromagnetic radiation absorber stacked on the set of one or more buffer layers and configured to absorb a second set of electromagnetic radiation wavelengths; and an immersion condenser lens formed on the second surface and configured to direct electromagnetic radiation through the InP substrate and toward the first InGaAs electromagnetic radiation absorber and the second InGaAs electromagnetic radiation absorber.

A functional element of an embodiment of the technology includes: a first region and a ring-like second region on a top surface of a semiconductor layer having an end surface, the second region surrounding the first region in a space between the first region and the end surface. The functional element of the technology includes a first functional section in the second region, the first functional section allowing for induction of carriers arising on the end surface to outside.