A nanowire composite structure is provided. The nanowire composite structure includes a nanowire core, wherein a material of the nanowire core includes Se, Te or a combination thereof. The nanowire composite structure also includes a metal layer covering the nanowire core. A method for forming the nanowire composite structure, a protective structure of a nanowire, a sensing device, and a method for forming a sensing device are also provided.

The invention provides an optoelectronic device comprising a photoactive region, which photoactive region comprises: an n-type region comprising at least one n-type layer; a p- type region comprising at least one p-type layer; and, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region: a layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity. The perovskite semiconductor is generally light-absorbing. In some embodiments, disposed between the n-type region and the p-type region is: (i) a first layer which comprises a scaffold material, which is typically porous, and a perovskite semiconductor, which is typically disposed in pores of the scaffold material; and (ii) a capping layer dis -posed on said first layer, which capping layer is said layer of a perovskite semiconductor without open porosity, wherein the perovskite semiconductor in the capping layer is in contact with the perovskite semiconductor in the first layer. The layer of the perovskite semiconductor without open porosity (which may be said capping layer) typically forms a planar heterojunction with the n-type region or the p-type region. The invention also provides processes for producing such optoelectronic devices which typically involve solution deposition or vapour deposition of the perovskite. In one embodiment, the process is a low temperature process; for instance, the entire process may be performed at a temperature or temperatures not exceeding 150° C.

A method of hydrogenation of a silicon photovoltaic junction device is provided, the silicon photovoltaic junction device comprising p-type silicon semiconductor material and n-type silicon semiconductor material forming at least one p-n junction. The method comprises: i) ensuring that any silicon surface phosphorus diffused layers through which hydrogen must diffuse have peak doping concentrations of 1×10.sup.20 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less and silicon surface boron diffused layers through which hydrogen must diffuse have peak doping concentrations of 1×10.sup.19 atoms/cm.sup.3 or less; ii) Providing one or more hydrogen sources accessible by each surface of the device; and iii) Heating the device, or a local region of the device to at least 40° C. while simultaneously illuminating at least some and/or advantageously all of the device with at least one light source whereby the cumulative power of all the incident photons with sufficient energy to generate electron hole pairs within the silicon (in other words photons with energy levels above the bandgap of silicon of 1.12 eV) is at least 20 mW/cm.sup.2.

The disclosed embodiments relate to an integrated circuit structure and methods of forming them in which photonic devices are formed on the back end of fabricating a CMOS semiconductor structure containing electronic devices. Doped regions associated with the photonic devices are formed using microwave annealing for dopant activation.

A method for curing a portion of conductive paste disposed on a photovoltaic cell, the photovoltaic cell including a first face and a second face, the portion of conductive paste being disposed on one of the faces of the photovoltaic cell, the curing method including exposing the first face of the photovoltaic cell to a first electromagnetic radiation including at least one component between 300 nm and 700 nm.

A planar photodiode including a main layer including an n-doped first region, a p-doped second region, and an intermediate region, and also a p-doped peripheral lateral portion. It also includes a peripheral intermediate portion, made of an alternation of monocrystalline thin layers of silicon-germanium and germanium, located on the first face, and extending between and at a non-zero distance from the doped first region and from the peripheral lateral portion so as to surround the doped first region in a main plane.

Electroplating of aluminum may be utilized to form electrodes for solar cells. In contrast to expensive silver electrodes, aluminum allows for reduced cell cost and addresses the problem of material scarcity. In contrast to copper electrodes which typically require barrier layers, aluminum allows for simplified cell structures and fabrication steps. In the solar cells, point contacts may be utilized in the backside electrodes for increased efficiency. Solar cells formed in accordance with the present disclosure enable large-scale and cost-effective deployment of solar photovoltaic systems.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing a substrate for a solar cell composed of a single crystal silicon, including the steps of: producing a silicon single crystal ingot; slicing a silicon substrate from the silicon single crystal ingot; and subjecting the silicon substrate to low temperature thermal treatment at a temperature of 800° C. or more and less than 1200° C., wherein the silicon single crystal ingot or the silicon substrate is subjected to high temperature thermal treatment at a temperature of 1200° C. or more for 30 seconds or more before the low temperature thermal treatment. As a result, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a substrate for a solar cell that can prevent decrease in the minority carrier lifetime of the substrate even when the substrate has higher oxygen concentration.

The present invention provides a boron diffusion layer forming method capable of sufficiently oxidizing a boron silicide layer formed on a silicon substrate to remove it and obtaining a high-quality boron silicate glass layer. The present invention is a boron diffusion layer forming method of forming a boron diffusion layer on a silicon substrate by a boron diffusion process, the process including a first step of thermally diffusing boron on the silicon substrate and a second step of oxidizing a boron silicide layer formed on the silicon substrate at the first step, wherein the second step has a state at a temperature of 900° C. or higher and a treatment temperature at the first step or lower, for 15 minutes or more.

A method of the invention which manufactures a substrate with a transparent conductive film, includes: preparing a base body that has a top surface and a back surface and has an a-Si film coating at least one of the top surface and the back surface; and setting temperatures of the base body and the a-Si film to be in the range of 70 to 220° C. in a film formation space having a processing gas containing hydrogen, applying a sputtering voltage to a target, carrying out DC sputtering, and thereby forming the a-Si film on a transparent conductive film.