An operating method of an image sensor includes the following steps. The image sensor includes at least one pixel unit. The pixel unit includes a photoelectric conversion unit, a first control unit, a capacitor unit, and a sensing unit. The photoelectric conversion unit includes a quantum film photoelectric conversion unit, and the first control unit includes an oxide semiconductor transistor. The capacitor unit is coupled to the first control unit, and the sensing unit is configured to sense signals at a sense point coupled between the first control unit and the sensing unit. The pixel unit is discharged before a readout operation. The capacitor unit is charged by electrons emitted from the photoelectric conversion unit when the photoelectric conversion unit is excited by light. Signals at the sense point are then sensed by the sensing unit.

A process of growth in the thickness of at least one facet of a colloidal inorganic sheet. By sheet is meant a structure having at least one dimension, the thickness, of nanometric size and lateral dimensions great compared to the thickness, typically more than 5 times the thickness. By homostructured is meant a material of homogeneous composition in the thickness and by heterostructured is meant a material of heterogeneous composition in the thickness. The process allows the deposition of at least one monolayer of atoms on at least one inorganic colloidal sheet, this monolayer being constituted of atoms of the type of those contained or not in the sheet. Homostructured and heterostructured materials resulting from such process as well as the applications of the materials are also described.

A structure includes a silicon substrate; silicon readout circuitry disposed on a first portion of a top surface of the substrate and a radiation detecting pixel disposed on a second portion of the top surface of the substrate. The pixel has a plurality of radiation detectors connected with the readout circuitry. The plurality of radiation detectors are composed of at least one visible wavelength radiation detector containing germanium and at least one infrared wavelength radiation detector containing a Group III-V semiconductor material. A method includes providing a silicon substrate; forming silicon readout circuitry on a first portion of a top surface of the substrate and forming a radiation detecting pixel, on a second portion of the top surface of the substrate, that has a plurality of radiation detectors formed to contain a visible wavelength detector composed of germanium and an infrared wavelength detector composed of a Group III-V semiconductor material.

There is provided a quantum dot solar cell having a high optical absorption coefficient. The quantum dot solar cell includes a quantum dot layer 3 including a plurality of quantum dots 1, wherein the quantum dot layer 3 includes a first quantum dot layer 3A having an index /x of 5% or more, wherein x is an average particle size, and is a standard deviation. The quantum dot layer 3 also includes a second quantum dot layer 3B that is provided on the light entrance surface 3b and/or the light exit surface 3c of the first quantum dot layer 3A and has an average particle size and an index /x smaller than those of the first quantum dot layer 3A.

In various embodiments, an electronic device comprises, for example, at least one photosensitive layer and at least one carrier selective layer. Under one range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer produces a photocurrent while illuminated. Under another range of biases on the device, the photosensitive does not produce a photocurrent while illuminated. A carrier selective layer expands the range of biases over which the photosensitive layer does not produce any photocurrent while illuminated. In various embodiments, an electronic device comprises, for example, at least one photosensitive layer and at least one carrier selective layer. Under a first range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer is configured to collect a photocurrent while illuminated. Under a second range of biases on the device, the photosensitive layer is configured to collect at least M times lower photocurrent while illuminated compared to under the first range of biases.

Self-powered portable electronic devices are disclosed that have the capacity to generate their own electrical power, store electrical charge, and distribute electrical power to similarly designed devices in close proximity. Devices generate power in part using one or more non-solar thermal energy sources that have increased stability and efficiency compared to current solar cell powered devices. Devices comprise components including, control processors, data storage, energy storage, dedicated energy and power management processors, and thermophotovoltaic cells that convert thermal energy into electrical power. Devices are capable of transmitting and receiving energy, power, voice and data information using standard frequencies associated with portable devices. Additionally, the invention discloses methods, systems, and apparatuses comprising circuitry that can control power generation from multiple thermophotovoltaic cells and traditional power sources.

A photoelectric conversion element includes a photoelectric conversion layer having the quantum structure and utilizes intersubband transition in a conduction band. The photoelectric conversion element includes a superlattice semiconductor layer in which a barrier layer and a quantum dot layer as a quantum layer are alternately and repeatedly stacked. The barrier layer includes an indirect transition semiconductor material, and the quantum dot layer has a nano-structure including a direct transition semiconductor material. The indirect transition semiconductor material constituting the barrier layer has a bandgap of more than 1.42 eV at room temperature.

Techniques for enhancing the absorption of photons in semiconductors with the use of microstructures are described. The microstructures, such as holes, effectively increase the absorption of the photons. Using microstructures for absorption enhancement for silicon photodiodes and silicon avalanche photodiodes can result in bandwidths in excess of 10 Gb/s at photons with wavelengths of 850 nm, and with quantum efficiencies of approximately 90% or more. Their thickness dimensions allow them to be conveniently integrated on the same Si chip with CMOS, BiCMOS, and other electronics, with resulting packaging benefits and reduced capacitance and thus higher speeds.

The present invention relates to colloidal quantum dots, to a process for producing such colloidal quantum dots, to the use thereof and to optoelectronic components comprising colloidal quantum dots.

Methods are described that include reacting a starting nanocrystal that includes a starting nanocrystal core and a covalently bound surface species to create an ion-exchangeable (IE) nanocrystal that includes a surface charge and a first ion-exchangeable (IE) surface ligand ionically bound to the surface charge, where the starting nanocrystal core includes a group IV element.