A switching device includes an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) or MOSFET having a gate, an emitter, and a collector configured to allow current to pass between the emitter and the collector based on voltage applied to the gate. A stack of alternating layers of photo-sensitive p-n junction layers and insulating layers stacked on the gate for optical switching control of voltage through the IGBT or MOSFET.

A photodetector comprising a photoabsorber, comprising a doped semiconductor, a contact layer comprising a doped semiconductor and a barrier layer comprising a charge carrier compensated semiconductor, the barrier layer compensated by doping impurities such that it exhibits a valence band energy level substantially equal to the valence band energy level of the photo absorbing layer and a conduction band energy level exhibiting a significant band gap in relation to the conduction band of the photo absorbing layer, the barrier layer disposed between the photoabsorber and contact layers. The relationship between the photo absorbing layer and contact layer valence and conduction band energies and the barrier layer conduction and valance band energies is selected to facilitate minority carrier current flow while inhibiting majority carrier current flow between the contact and photo absorbing layers.

Provided is an AlGaN unipolar carrier solar-blind ultraviolet detector that is based on the AlGaN polarization effect and that uses the double heterojunction of the p-AlzGa1-zN/i-AlyGa1-yN/n-AlxGa1-xN (0.45=<x,z<y) as the main structure of the detector. It makes full use of the polarization built-in electric field pointing from n-type AlGaN to p-type AlGaN to enhance the electric field strength of the i-type absorption region and enhance the efficiency of carrier absorption and separation. At the same time, the valence band step of the p-AlzGa1-zN/i-AlyGa1-yN heterojunction is used to effectively restrict holes from entering the absorption region to recombine with electrons, thereby increasing the carrier lifetime. Furthermore, during device manufacturing the structure is such designed that makes it difficult for photo-generated holes to participate in the photoconductivity so as to realize unipolar conduction of electrons, thereby obtaining a high response speed and high gain current.

Provided is an AlGaN unipolar carrier solar-blind ultraviolet detector that is based on the AlGaN polarization effect and that uses the double heterojunction of the p-AlzGa1-zN/i-AlyGa1-yN/n-AlxGa1-xN (0.45=<x,z<y) as the main structure of the detector. It makes full use of the polarization built-in electric field pointing from n-type AlGaN to p-type AlGaN to enhance the electric field strength of the i-type absorption region and enhance the efficiency of carrier absorption and separation. At the same time, the valence band step of the p-AlzGa1-zN/i-AlyGa1-yN heterojunction is used to effectively restrict holes from entering the absorption region to recombine with electrons, thereby increasing the carrier lifetime. Furthermore, during device manufacturing the structure is such designed that makes it difficult for photo-generated holes to participate in the photoconductivity so as to realize unipolar conduction of electrons, thereby obtaining a high response speed and high gain current.

An imager having a pixel cell having an associated strained silicon layer. The strained silicon layer increases charge transfer efficiency, decreases image lag, and improves blue response in imaging devices.

A semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including a channel connecting a source on the semiconductor substrate and a drain on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the channel comprises a plasmonic resonator. A sensor including a plasmonic film, wherein the plasmonic film includes a sensitivity to a known analyte, a semiconductor structure including a source and a drain of a field effect transistor, and an electrical connection between the plasmonic film and a gate of the semiconductor structure. A method of forming a sensor including forming a field effect transistor (“FET”) on a semiconductor substrate, the field effect transistor including a source, a drain, and a gate, where the gate includes a plasmonic resonator.

A semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including a channel connecting a source on the semiconductor substrate and a drain on the semiconductor substrate, wherein the channel comprises a plasmonic resonator. A sensor including a plasmonic film, wherein the plasmonic film includes a sensitivity to a known analyte, a semiconductor structure including a source and a drain of a field effect transistor, and an electrical connection between the plasmonic film and a gate of the semiconductor structure. A method of forming a sensor including forming a field effect transistor (“FET”) on a semiconductor substrate, the field effect transistor including a source, a drain, and a gate, where the gate includes a plasmonic resonator.

A silicon carbide transistor used as an ultraviolet light sensor. The light sensor is mounted inside a probe for detecting ultraviolet light generated by combustion inside an engine. The silicon carbide transistor generates a light voltage that is converted to a digital signal. The digital signal is used in a feedback loop for an engine control module for real time engine control in operating environments. The silicon carbide transistor is mounted inside a glow plug sized engine probe mounted in the cylinder head and the probe includes a quartz window allowing ultraviolet light access between the combustion chamber and the silicon carbide transistor so that the silicon carbide transistor can be mounted proximate the combustion chamber but behind the cooling jackets inside the engine head.

A photosensitive transistor is disclosed herein that includes: a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type as a collector layer; above it a less doped layer of the first conductivity type having regions of different thickness; a semiconductor base layer of the second conductivity type above at least parts of the regions of the less doped layer; and an emitter layer of the first conductivity type above at least parts of the base layer, but not above at least one part of the part of the base layer disposed above the thinner region of the less doped layer.

Semiconductor devices, such as photonics devices, employ substantially curved-shaped Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) structures and are fabricated using zero-change CMOS fabrication process technologies. In one example, a closed-loop resonator waveguide-coupled photodetector includes a silicon resonator structure formed in a silicon substrate, interdigitated n-doped well-implant regions and p-doped well-implant regions forming multiple silicon p-n junctions around the silicon resonator structure, and a closed-loop SiGe photocarrier generation region formed in a pocket within the interdigitated n-doped and p-doped well implant regions. The closed-loop SiGe region is located so as to substantially overlap with an optical mode of radiation when present in the silicon resonator structure, and traverses the multiple silicon p-n junctions around the silicon resonator structure. Electric fields arising from the respective p-n silicon junctions significantly facilitate a flow of the generated photocarriers between electric contact regions of the photodetector.