The invention relates to an electroconductive paste composition comprising conductive metallic particles comprising silver, at least one glass frit, and an organic vehicle comprising at least about 0.5 wt % and no more than about 50 wt % of at least one poly-siloxane compound, based upon 100% total weight of the organic vehicle.

A temperature-controlled photodetector sub-system is described. The temperature control element allows the operation of the photodetector at a desired temperature. The temperature control element can be a heater or a cooler. In some cases, the photodetector is a germanium photodetector. In some cases a temperature measuring device is provided. In some cases, a control circuit is used to control the temperature of the germanium photodetector within a temperature range, or at a temperature of interest. An advantage provided by the apparatus described is the operation of the photodetector so that the responsivity of the germanium detector can be held at essentially a constant value.

For manufacturing a radiation window for an X-ray measurement apparatus, and etch stop layer is first produced on a polished surface of a carrier. A thin film deposition technique is used to produce a structural layer on an opposite side of said etch stop layer than said carrier. The combined structure comprising said carrier, said etch stop layer, and said structural layer is attached to a region around an opening in a support structure with said structural layer facing said support structure. The carrier is etched away.

A method of making a germanium perovskite/crystalline germanium thin-film tandem solar cell including the steps of depositing a textured oxide buffer layer on glass, depositing a SnGe film from a eutectic alloy on the buffer layer; and depositing perovskite elements on the SnGe film, thus forming a perovskite layer based on the Ge from the SnGe film, incorporating the Ge into the perovskite layer.

Embodiments relate to use of a particle accelerator beam to form thin films of material from a bulk substrate are described. In particular embodiments, a bulk substrate having a top surface is exposed to a beam of accelerated particles. In certain embodiments, this bulk substrate may comprise GaN; in other embodiments this bulk substrate may comprise (111) single crystal silicon. Then, a thin film or wafer of material is separated from the bulk substrate by performing a controlled cleaving process along a cleave region formed by particles implanted from the beam. In certain embodiments this separated material is incorporated directly into an optoelectronic device, for example a GaN film cleaved from GaN bulk material. In some embodiments, this separated material may be employed as a template for further growth of semiconductor materials (e.g. GaN) that are useful for optoelectronic devices.

A high efficiency configuration for a string of solar cells comprises series-connected solar cells arranged in an overlapping shingle pattern. Front and back surface metallization patterns may provide further increases in efficiency.

Techniques for enhancing the absorption of photons in semiconductors with the use of microstructures are described. The microstructures, such as pillars and/or holes, effectively increase the effective absorption length resulting in a greater 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.

Methods of fabricating solar cell emitter regions with differentiated P-type and N-type architectures and incorporating a multi-purpose passivation and contact layer, and resulting solar cells, are described. In an example, a solar cell includes a substrate having a light-receiving surface and a back surface. A P-type emitter region is disposed on the back surface of the substrate. An N-type emitter region is disposed in a trench formed in the back surface of the substrate. An N-type passivation layer is disposed on the N-type emitter region. A first conductive contact structure is electrically connected to the P-type emitter region. A second conductive contact structure is electrically connected to the N-type emitter region and is in direct contact with the N-type passivation layer.

Examples of the various techniques introduced here include, but not limited to, a mesa height adjustment approach during shallow trench isolation formation, a transistor via first approach, and a multiple absorption layer approach. As described further below, the techniques introduced herein include a variety of aspects that can individually and/or collectively resolve or mitigate one or more traditional limitations involved with manufacturing PDs and transistors on the same substrate, such as above discussed reliability, performance, and process temperature issues.

The optical device includes a light sensor positioned on a base. The light sensor is configured to receive an input light signal and outputs a passed light signal that includes light from the input light signal. The optical device also includes a return system located on the base. The return system is configured to receive the passed light signal from the light sensor and to return at least a portion of the light from the passed light signal back to the light sensor.