Examples described herein relate to an avalanche photodiode (APD) and an optical receiver including the APD. The APD may include a substrate and a photon absorption region disposed on the substrate. The substrate may include a charge carrier acceleration region under the photon absorption region; a charge region adjacent to the charge carrier acceleration region; and a charge carrier multiplication region adjacent to the charge region. The charge carrier acceleration region, the charge region, and the charge carrier multiplication region are laterally formed in the substrate. When a biasing voltage is applied to the optoelectronic device, photon-generated free charge carriers may be generated in the photon absorption region and are diffused into the charge carrier acceleration region. The charge carrier acceleration region is configured to accelerate the photon-generated free charge carriers prior to the photon-generated free charge carriers entering into the charge region and undergoing impact ionization in the charge carrier multiplication region.

Disclosed are ultrathin layers of group II-VI semiconductors, group II-VI semiconductor superlattice structures, photovoltaic devices incorporating the layers and superlattice structures and related methods. The superlattice structures comprise an ultrathin layer of a first group II-VI semiconductor alternating with an ultrathin layer of at least one additional semiconductor, e.g., a second group II-VI semiconductor, or a group IV semiconductor, or a group III-V semiconductor.

Disclosed are ultrathin layers of group II-VI semiconductors, group II-VI semiconductor superlattice structures, photovoltaic devices incorporating the layers and superlattice structures and related methods. The superlattice structures comprise an ultrathin layer of a first group II-VI semiconductor alternating with an ultrathin layer of at least one additional semiconductor, e.g., a second group II-VI semiconductor, or a group IV semiconductor, or a group III-V semiconductor.

This invention is directed toward a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a heterostructure comprises covering a semiconductor structure with a seed layer structure; forming one or more separated circularly shaped openings in the seed layer structure to expose the semiconductor structure therein, and leave the seed layer structure outside the one or more separated circularly shaped openings; forming an insulator layer thereon; etching the obtained structure to (i) expose at least a portion of the seed layer structure, such that the exposed at least portion of the seed layer structure surrounds each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings, and (ii) optionally expose the semiconductor structure, in the one or more separated circularly shaped openings; and epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer from the exposed at least portion of the seed layer structure, firstly mainly vertically and then into each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings until the epitaxially grown semiconductor layer coalesces with the insulator layer or the semiconductor structure in each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings.

This invention is directed toward a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device with a heterostructure comprises covering a semiconductor structure with a seed layer structure; forming one or more separated circularly shaped openings in the seed layer structure to expose the semiconductor structure therein, and leave the seed layer structure outside the one or more separated circularly shaped openings; forming an insulator layer thereon; etching the obtained structure to (i) expose at least a portion of the seed layer structure, such that the exposed at least portion of the seed layer structure surrounds each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings, and (ii) optionally expose the semiconductor structure, in the one or more separated circularly shaped openings; and epitaxially growing a semiconductor layer from the exposed at least portion of the seed layer structure, firstly mainly vertically and then into each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings until the epitaxially grown semiconductor layer coalesces with the insulator layer or the semiconductor structure in each of the one or more separated circularly shaped openings.

An ultraviolet (UV) photo-detecting device, including: a substrate; a first nitride layer disposed on the substrate; a second nitride layer disposed between the first nitride layer and the substrate; a light absorption layer disposed on the first nitride layer; and a Schottky junction layer disposed on the light absorption layer.

The present device is a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell adapted to charge the battery of an electronic device efficiently and cost-effectively. This is accomplished by specifically layering N-Type and P-type semiconductors in several layers while also introducing extrinsic doping agents that add to the conductivity of the oxides used for generating energy using ambient thermal energy. As such, electrical energy can effectively be drawn from a single heat reservoir.

A hybrid receiver for a concentrator photovoltaic-thermal power system combines a concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) module and a thermal module that converts concentrated sunlight into electrical energy and thermal heat. Heat transfer fluid flowing through a cooling block removes waste heat generated by photovoltaic cells in the CPV module. The heat transfer fluid then flows through a helical tube illuminated by sunlight that misses the CPV module. Only one fluid system is used to both remove the photovoltaic-cell waste heat and capture high-temperature thermal energy from sunlight. Fluid leaving the hybrid receiver can have a temperature greater than 200° C., and therefore may be used as a source of process heat for a variety of commercial and industrial applications. The hybrid receiver can maintain the photovoltaic cells at temperatures below 110° C. while achieving overall energy conversion efficiencies exceeding 80%.

A photoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate doped with a first type impurity, a second semiconductor layer doped with a second type impurity of an opposite type to the first type impurity, a transparent electrode formed on a second surface of the second semiconductor layer, the second surface being opposite a first surface on which the semiconductor substrate is formed, and a barrier layer disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate or between the second semiconductor layer and the transparent electrode. The second semiconductor layer has a band gap energy less than that of the semiconductor substrate, and the barrier layer includes a semiconductor material or an insulator having a band gap greater than that of the semiconductor substrate.

A photoelectronic device includes a semiconductor substrate doped with a first type impurity, a second semiconductor layer doped with a second type impurity of an opposite type to the first type impurity, a transparent electrode formed on a second surface of the second semiconductor layer, the second surface being opposite a first surface on which the semiconductor substrate is formed, and a barrier layer disposed between the second semiconductor layer and the semiconductor substrate or between the second semiconductor layer and the transparent electrode. The second semiconductor layer has a band gap energy less than that of the semiconductor substrate, and the barrier layer includes a semiconductor material or an insulator having a band gap greater than that of the semiconductor substrate.