A CMOS image sensor may include a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, and a plurality of laterally adjacent photodiodes formed in the substrate. Each photodiode may include a retrograde well extending downward into the substrate from a surface thereof and having a second conductivity type, a first well around a periphery of the retrograde well having the second conductivity type, and a second well within the retrograde well having the first conductivity type. Each photodiode may further include first and second superlattices respectively overlying each of the first and second wells. Each of the first and second superlattices may include a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions.

A method for making a CMOS image sensor may include forming a superlattice on a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, with the superlattice including a plurality of stacked groups of layers. Each group of layers may include a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and a non-semiconductor monolayer(s) constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. The method may further include forming a plurality of laterally adjacent photodiodes on the superlattice. Each photodiode may include a semiconductor layer on the superlattice and having a first conductivity type dopant and with a lower dopant concentration than the semiconductor substrate, a retrograde well extending downward into the semiconductor layer and having a second conductivity type, a first well around a periphery of the retrograde well having the first conductivity type, and a second well within the retrograde well having the first conductivity type.

A photovoltaic device and method include a substrate coupled to an emitter side structure on a first side of the substrate and a back side structure on a side opposite the first side of the substrate. The emitter side structure or the back side structure include layers alternating between wide band gap layers and narrow band gap layers to provide a multilayer contact with an effectively increased band offset with the substrate and/or an effectively higher doping level over a single material contact. An emitter contact is coupled to the emitter side structure on a light collecting end portion of the device. A back contact is coupled to the back side structure opposite the light collecting end portion.

A CMOS image sensor may include a semiconductor substrate having a first conductivity type, and a plurality of laterally adjacent infrared (IR) photodiode structures on the substrate. Each IR photodiode structure may include a superlattice on the semiconductor substrate including a plurality of stacked groups of layers, with each group of layers including a plurality of stacked base semiconductor monolayers defining a base semiconductor portion, and at least one non-semiconductor monolayer constrained within a crystal lattice of adjacent base semiconductor portions. Further, the superlattice may have the first conductivity type. The CMOS image sensor may further include a semiconductor layer on the superlattice, a retrograde well extending downward into the semiconductor layer from a surface thereof and having a second conductivity type, a first well around a periphery of the retrograde well having the first conductivity type, and a second well within the retrograde well having the first conductivity type.

A photovoltaic device and method include a substrate coupled to an emitter side structure on a first side of the substrate and a back side structure on a side opposite the first side of the substrate. The emitter side structure or the back side structure include layers alternating between wide band gap layers and narrow band gap layers to provide a multilayer contact with an effectively increased band offset with the substrate and/or an effectively higher doping level over a single material contact. An emitter contact is coupled to the emitter side structure on a light collecting end portion of the device. A back contact is coupled to the back side structure opposite the light collecting end portion.

A photodetector is provided. The photodetector includes a cathode electrode in a semiconductor layer, a light absorption material at least partially embedded in the semiconductor layer, an anode electrode over the light absorption material, and a lower buffer layer electrically connecting between the cathode electrode and the light absorption material. The lower buffer layer includes first SiGe layers vertically stacked and spaced apart from each other, and atomic percentages of germanium in the first SiGe layers increase in order as a level of a first SiGe layer increases from bottom to top.

A laser-assisted microfluidics manufacturing process has been developed for the fabrication of additively manufactured structures. Roll-to-roll manufacturing is enhanced by the use of a laser-assisted electrospray printhead positioned above the flexible substrate. The laser electrospray printhead sprays microdroplets containing nanoparticles onto the substrate to form both thin-film and structural layers. As the substrate moves, the nanoparticles are sintered using a laser beam directed by the laser electrospray printhead onto the substrate.

A photo-sensitive device includes a uniform layer, a gradated buffer layer over the uniform layer, a silicon layer over the gradated buffer layer, a photo-sensitive light-sensing region in the uniform layer and the silicon layer, a device layer on the silicon layer, and a carrier wafer bonded to the device layer.

High-quality, single-crystalline silicon-germanium (Si.sub.(1-x)Ge.sub.x) having a high germanium content is provided. Layers of the high-quality, single-crystalline silicon-germanium can be grown to high sub-critical thicknesses and then released from their growth substrates to provide Si.sub.(1-x)Ge.sub.x films without lattice mismatch-induced misfit dislocations or a mosaic distribution of crystallographic orientations.

A photovoltaic device and method include a substrate coupled to an emitter side structure on a first side of the substrate and a back side structure on a side opposite the first side of the substrate. The emitter side structure or the back side structure include layers alternating between wide band gap layers and narrow band gap layers to provide a multilayer contact with an effectively increased band offset with the substrate and/or an effectively higher doping level over a single material contact. An emitter contact is coupled to the emitter side structure on a light collecting end portion of the device. A back contact is coupled to the back side structure opposite the light collecting end portion.