Disclosed is a photodiode, which includes a graphene-silicon quantum dot hybrid structure, having improved optical and electrical characteristics by controlling the sizes of silicon quantum dots and the doping concentration of graphene. The photodiode including the graphene-silicon quantum dot hybrid structure of the present disclosure may be easily manufactured, may be manufactured over a large area, has a wide photodetection band from the ultraviolet light region to the near infrared region, and allows selective absorption energy control.

A semiconductor nanocrystal include a first I-III-VI semiconductor material and have a luminescence quantum yield of at least 10%, at least 20%, or at least 30%. The nanocrystal can be substantially free of toxic elements. Populations of the nanocrystals can have an emission FWHM of no greater than 0.35 eV.

The invention relates to a photo bode type structure (comprising: a support (100) including at least one semiconductor layer, the semiconductor layer (120) including of a first semiconductor zone (10) of a first type of conductivity and a mesa (130) in contact with the semiconductor layer (120). The mesa (130) includes of a second semiconductor zone (20), known as absorption zone, said second semiconductor zone (20) being of a second type of conductivity. The second semiconductor zone has a concentration of majority carriers such that the second semiconductor zone (30) is depleted in the absence of polarization of the structure (1). The structure (1) further comprises a third semiconductor zone (30) of the second type of conductivity made of a third material transparent in the absorbed wavelength range. The third semiconductor zone (30) is interposed between the first and the second semiconductor zones (10, 20) while being at least partially arranged in the semiconductor layer (120). The invention also relates to component and a method for manufacturing such a structure (1).

A photovoltaic device and method include forming a plurality of pillar structures in a substrate, forming a first electrode layer on the pillar structures and forming a continuous photovoltaic stack including an N-type layer, a P-type layer and an intrinsic layer on the first electrode. A second electrode layer is deposited over the photovoltaic stack such that gaps or fissures occur in the second electrode layer between the pillar structures. The second electrode layer is wet etched to open up the gaps or fissures and reduce the second electrode layer to form a three-dimensional electrode of substantially uniform thickness over the photovoltaic stack.

A photovoltaic module and its manufacturing method. The module includes a first support wafer made of sintered silicon and a second layer of single-crystal silicon.

The photoelectric conversion device includes a quantum dot accumulation zone, a base layer having current collecting properties which is disposed on at least one major surface of the quantum dot accumulation zone, and a plurality of columnar carrier collection zones, each extending from the base layer into the quantum dot accumulation zone and having an open end. Each of the carrier collection zones is composed mainly of metal oxide. An open end part has a higher mole ratio of oxygen to metal than a body part other than the open end part.

An optoelectronic semiconductor chip comprises a semiconductor layer sequence and several semiconductor structures having in each case one active region. The active regions may be designed for the emission and/or absorption of electromagnetic radiation. The active regions of different semiconductor structures may not be connected to one another. The semiconductor structures may be designed as a nanorod or a microrod. The semiconductor structures may be embedded in the semiconductor layer sequence.

This invention relates to a novel structure of photovoltaic devices (e.g. photovoltaic cells also called as solar cells) are provided. The cells are based on the micro or nano scaled structures which could not only increase the surface area but also have the capability of self-concentrating the light incident onto the photonics devices. More specifically, the structures are based on 3D structure including quintic or quintic-like shaped micor-nanostructures. By using such structures reflection loss of the light from the cell is significantly reduced, increasing the absorption, which results in increasing the conversion efficiency of the solar cell, and reducing the usage of material while increasing the flexibility of the solar cell. The structures can be also used in other optical devices wherein the reflection loss and absorption are required to enhanced to significantly improve the device performances.

A photodiode is formed in a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type. The photodiode includes a first region having a substantially hemispherical shape and a substantially hemispherical core of a second conductivity type, different from the first conductivity type, within the first region. An epitaxial layer covers the semiconductor substrate and buries the first region and core.

A unit pixel element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cell according to the present invention comprises a photo detector that drives a photocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto the gate, along the channel between the source and the drain; a first switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector and the first solar cell bus; and a second switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector and the second solar cell bus, and features a function of light energy harvesting and high-efficiency photoelectric conversion that generates and supplies effective electric power.