An encapsulated integrated photodetector waveguide structures with alignment tolerance and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure bounded by one or more shallow trench isolation (STI) structure(s). The method further includes forming a photodetector fully landed on the waveguide structure.

Photodiode structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure in a dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a Ge material in proximity to the waveguide structure in a back end of the line (BEOL) metal layer. The method further includes crystallizing the Ge material into a crystalline Ge structure by a low temperature annealing process with a metal layer in contact with the Ge material.

An apparatus for deposition of a plurality of elements onto a solar cell substrate that comprises: a housing; a transporting apparatus to transport the substrate in and out of the housing; a first tubing apparatus to deliver powders of a first elements to the housing; a first source material tube located outside of the housing and joined to a feeder tube of the tubing apparatus; a valve located inside of the first source material tube sufficient to block access between the first source material tube and the first feeder tube; a first heating tube located inside of the housing and connected to the first feeder tube; a similar second tubing apparatus to deliver powders of a second elements to the housing; a loading station for loading the substrate onto the transporting apparatus; one or more thermal sources to heat the housing and the first and second heating tube.

A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device includes a step of depositing one of an amorphous layer of ZnTe and a multilayer stack of Zn and Te adjacent a semiconductor layer. The one of the amorphous layer and the multilayer stack is then subjected to an energy impulse at a temperature equal to or greater than its critical temperature. The energy impulse results in an explosive crystallization to form a polycrystalline layer of ZnTe from the one of the amorphous layer and the multilayer stack.

A method of making crystal semi-conducting material-based elements, including providing a support having amorphous semi-conducting material-based semi-conducting elements, the support being further provided with one or more components and with a reflective protective area configured so as to reflect a light radiation in a given wavelength range, exposing the element(s) to a laser radiation emitting in the given wavelength range so as to recrystallize the elements, the reflective protective area being arranged on the support relative to the elements and to the components so as to reflect the laser radiation and protect the components from this radiation.

Disclosed are a method of forming a photodetector and a photodetector structure. In the method, a polycrystalline or amorphous light-absorbing layer is formed on a dielectric layer such that it is in contact with a monocrystalline semiconductor core of an optical waveguide. The light-absorbing layer is then encapsulated in one or more strain-relief layers and a rapid melting growth (RMG) process is performed to crystallize the light-absorbing layer. The strain-relief layer(s) are tuned for controlled strain relief so that, during the RMG process, the light-absorbing layer remains crack-free. The strain-relief layer(s) are then removed and an encapsulation layer is formed over the light-absorbing layer (e.g., filling in surface pits that developed during the RMG process). Subsequently, dopants are implanted through the encapsulation layer to form diffusion regions for PIN diode(s). Since the encapsulation layer is relatively thin, desired dopant profiles can be achieved within the diffusion regions.

A method for producing a solar cell, in particular a silicon thin-film solar cell, wherein a TCO layer (3) is applied to a glass substrate (1) and at least one silicon layer (4, 5) is applied to the TCO layer (3). Before the TCO layer (3) is applied, electron radiation is applied to the glass substrate (1), such that a light-scattering layer (2) of the glass substrate (1) is produced, to which light-scattering layer the TCO layer (3) is applied. Alternatively or additionally, a first silicon layer (4) may be applied to the TCO layer (3), a laser radiation or electron radiation may be applied to the first silicon layer (4), and a second silicon layer (5) may be applied to the irradiated first silicon layer (4).

Various particular embodiments include a method for forming a photodetector, including: forming a structure including a barrier layer disposed between a layer of doped silicon (Si) and a layer of germanium (Ge), the barrier layer including a crystallization window; and annealing the structure to convert, via the crystallization window, the Ge to a first composition of silicon germanium (SiGe) and the doped Si to a second composition of SiGe.

Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions using ion implantation, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a back contact solar cell includes a crystalline silicon substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A first polycrystalline silicon emitter region is disposed above the crystalline silicon substrate. The first polycrystalline silicon emitter region is doped with dopant impurity species of a first conductivity type and further includes ancillary impurity species different from the dopant impurity species of the first conductivity type. A second polycrystalline silicon emitter region is disposed above the crystalline silicon substrate and is adjacent to but separated from the first polycrystalline silicon emitter region. The second polycrystalline silicon emitter region is doped with dopant impurity species of a second, opposite, conductivity type. First and second conductive contact structures are electrically connected to the first and second polycrystalline silicon emitter regions, respectively.

Methods of hydrogenation of passivated contacts using materials having hydrogen impurities are provided. An example method includes applying, to a passivated contact, a layer of a material, the material containing hydrogen impurities. The method further includes subsequently annealing the material and subsequently removing the material from the passivated contact.