An embodiment includes an apparatus comprising: a first photovoltaic cell; a first through silicon via (TSV) included in the first photovoltaic cell and passing through at least a portion of a doped silicon substrate, the first TSV comprising (a)(i) a first sidewall, which is doped oppositely to the doped silicon substrate, and (a)(ii) a first contact substantially filling the first TSV; and a second TSV included in the first photovoltaic cell and passing through at least another portion of the doped silicon substrate, the second TSV comprising (b)(i) a second sidewall, which comprises the doped silicon substrate, and (b)(ii) a second contact substantially filling the second TSV; wherein the first and second contacts each include a conductive material that is substantially transparent. Other embodiments are described herein.

In an embodiment a semiconductor detector includes a doped semiconductor body with a detection region, a front side and a rear side opposite the front side, a first electrical ring electrode and a second electrical ring electrode arranged around a read-out point on the front side, wherein the ring electrodes are configured to generate an electric field profile in the semiconductor body to guide free charge carriers to the read-out point, the ring electrodes overlapping at least partially with the detection region, as seen in plan view of the front side, a passivation layer arranged on the front side in a direction parallel to the front side between the first ring electrode and the second ring electrode and a first doped layer extending along the front side and electrically conductively connecting the first ring electrode to the second ring electrode without interruptions, wherein the first doped layer and a rest of the semiconductor body are oppositely doped to each other, and wherein a specific resistance of the first doped layer is between 1 cm and 1000 cm, inclusive.

A photonic device includes a substrate, a P-type doped component disposed over the substrate, an N-type doped component disposed over the substrate, an optical absorption layer disposed over the substrate, and a charging layer disposed over the substrate. The optical absorption layer is disposed between the P-type doped component and the N-type doped component. The optical absorption layer and the substrate have different material compositions. A charging layer is disposed between the P-type doped component and the N-type doped component. The charging layer has a first side surface that is substantially linear. The first side surface is in direct contact with the optical absorption layer.

A solar cell includes polysilicon P-type and N-type doped regions on a backside of a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. A trench structure separates the P-type doped region from the N-type doped region. Each of the P-type and N-type doped regions may be formed over a thin dielectric layer. The trench structure may include a textured surface for increased solar radiation collection. Among other advantages, the resulting structure increases efficiency by providing isolation between adjacent P-type and N-type doped regions, thereby preventing recombination in a space charge region where the doped regions would have touched.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a photodetector arrangement is provided. The photodetector arrangement includes a plurality of germanium-based photodetectors, each germanium-based photodetector configured to receive an optical signal and to generate an electrical signal in response to the received optical signal, and an electrode arrangement arranged to conduct the electrical signals.

A conductive paste composition contains a source of an electrically conductive metal, a first oxide component comprising an alkali metal vanadium oxide composition, an optional second non-oxide, non-metal component, and an organic vehicle. An article such as a high-efficiency photovoltaic cell is formed by a process of deposition of the paste composition on a semiconductor device substrate (e.g., by screen printing) and firing the paste to remove the organic vehicle and sinter the metal and establish electrical contact between it and the substrate.

Methods for forming passivated contacts include implanting compound-forming ions into a substrate to about a first depth below a surface of the substrate, and implanting dopant ions into the substrate to about a second depth below the surface. The second depth may be shallower than the first depth. The methods also include annealing the substrate.

A multi-junction optoelectronic device and method of manufacture are disclosed. The method comprises providing a first p-n structure on a substrate, wherein the first p-n structure comprises a first base layer of a first semiconductor with a first bandgap such that a lattice constant of the first semiconductor matches a lattice constant of the substrate, and wherein the first semiconductor comprises a Group III-V semiconductor. The method includes providing a second p-n structure, wherein the second p-n structure comprises a second base layer of a second semiconductor with a second bandgap, wherein a lattice constant of the second semiconductor matches a lattice constant of the first semiconductor, and wherein the second semiconductor comprises a Group IV semiconductor. The method also includes lifting off the substrate the multi-junction optoelectronic device having the first p-n structure and the second p-n structure, wherein the multi-junction optoelectronic device is a flexible device.

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.

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.