The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. Furthermore the present disclosure provides a photovoltaic device and a light emitting diode manufactured in accordance with the method. The method comprises the steps of forming a germanium layer using deposition techniques compatible with high-volume, low-cost manufacturing, such as magnetron sputtering, and exposing the germanium layer to laser light to reduce the amount of defects in the germanium layer. After the method is performed the germanium layer can be used as a virtual germanium substrate for the growth of III-V materials.

An optoelectronic device comprises microwires or nanowires, each of which comprises an alternation of passivated portions and of active portions, the active portions being surrounded with an active layer, where the active layers do not extend on the passivated portions.

An optoelectronic device comprises microwires or nanowires, each of which comprises an alternation of passivated portions and of active portions, the active portions being surrounded with an active layer, where the active layers do not extend on the passivated portions.

A multijunction solar cell assembly and its method of manufacture including interconnected first and second discrete semiconductor body subassemblies disposed adjacent and parallel to each other, each semiconductor body subassembly including first top subcell, second (and possibly third) lattice matched middle subcells; a graded interlayer adjacent to the last middle solar subcell; and a bottom solar subcell adjacent to said graded interlayer being lattice mismatched with respect to the last middle solar subcell; wherein the interconnected subassemblies form at least a four junction solar cell by a series connection being formed between the bottom solar subcell in the first semiconductor body and the bottom solar subcell in the second semiconductor body.

Designs of extremely high efficiency solar cells are described. A novel alternating bias scheme enhances the photovoltaic power extraction capability above the cell band-gap by enabling the extraction of hot carriers. When applied in conventional solar cells, this alternating bias scheme has the potential of more than doubling their yielded net efficiency. When applied in conjunction with solar cells incorporating quantum wells (QWs) or quantum dots (QDs) based solar cells, the described alternating bias scheme has the potential of extending such solar cell power extraction coverage, possibly across the entire solar spectrum, thus enabling unprecedented solar power extraction efficiency. Within such cells, a novel alternating bias scheme extends the cell energy conversion capability above the cell material band-gap while the quantum confinement structures are used to extend the cell energy conversion capability below the cell band-gap. Light confinement cavities are incorporated into the cell structure in order to allow the absorption of the cell internal photo emission, thus further enhancing the cell efficiency.

Designs of extremely high efficiency solar cells are described. A novel alternating bias scheme enhances the photovoltaic power extraction capability above the cell band-gap by enabling the extraction of hot carriers. When applied in conventional solar cells, this alternating bias scheme has the potential of more than doubling their yielded net efficiency. When applied in conjunction with solar cells incorporating quantum wells (QWs) or quantum dots (QDs) based solar cells, the described alternating bias scheme has the potential of extending such solar cell power extraction coverage, possibly across the entire solar spectrum, thus enabling unprecedented solar power extraction efficiency. Within such cells, a novel alternating bias scheme extends the cell energy conversion capability above the cell material band-gap while the quantum confinement structures are used to extend the cell energy conversion capability below the cell band-gap. Light confinement cavities are incorporated into the cell structure in order to allow the absorption of the cell internal photo emission, thus further enhancing the cell efficiency.

Thin freestanding nitride veneers can be used for the fabrication of semiconductor devices. These veneers are typically less than 100 microns thick. The use of thin veneers also eliminates the need for subsequent wafer thinning for improved thermal performance and 3D packaging.

Thin freestanding nitride veneers can be used for the fabrication of semiconductor devices. These veneers are typically less than 100 microns thick. The use of thin veneers also eliminates the need for subsequent wafer thinning for improved thermal performance and 3D packaging.

A hybrid photovoltaic device (1) comprising a thin film solar cell (2) disposed in a first layer (21) comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires (25), said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap corresponding to a first spectral range. The nanowires (25) form absorbing regions, and non-absorbing regions are formed between the nanowires. A bulk solar cell (3) s disposed in a second layer (31), positioned below the first layer (21), having a junction with a second band gap, which is smaller than said first band gap and corresponding to a second spectral range. The nanowires are provided in the first layer with a lateral density selected a such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range.

A hybrid photovoltaic device (1) comprising a thin film solar cell (2) disposed in a first layer (21) comprising an array of vertically aligned nanowires (25), said nanowires having a junction with a first band gap corresponding to a first spectral range. The nanowires (25) form absorbing regions, and non-absorbing regions are formed between the nanowires. A bulk solar cell (3) s disposed in a second layer (31), positioned below the first layer (21), having a junction with a second band gap, which is smaller than said first band gap and corresponding to a second spectral range. The nanowires are provided in the first layer with a lateral density selected a such that a predetermined portion of an incident photonic wave-front will pass through the non-absorbing regions without absorption in the first spectral range, into the bulk solar cell for absorption in both the first spectral range and the second spectral range.