Photosensitive devices and associated methods are provided. In one aspect, for example, a photosensitive imager device can include a semiconductor layer having multiple doped regions forming a least one junction, a textured region coupled to the semiconductor layer and positioned to interact with electromagnetic radiation. The textured region can be formed from a series of shallow trench isolation features.

Embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor that optimizes a pixel array area on a substrate using a stacking scheme for placement of related circuitry with minimal vertical interconnects between stacked substrates and associated features are disclosed. Embodiments of maximized pixel array size/die size (area optimization) are disclosed, and an optimized imaging sensor providing improved image quality, improved functionality, and improved form factors for specific applications common to the industry of digital imaging are also disclosed.

Disclosed herein is a photodetector utilizing graphene. A single-layer graphene channel is formed on a semiconductor substrate doped with n-type impurity. The graphene channel has an end connected to a source electrode and is physically separated from a drain electrode. Light having passed through a gate insulation layer and a gate electrode generates electron-hole pairs at the interface between the graphene channel and the semiconductor substrate forming a Schottky junction, and a photocurrent is generated by a Schottky barrier. In addition, the Schottky barrier is changed according to an applied gate voltage, thereby changing the photocurrent.

A lateral Ge/Si APD constructed on a silicon-on-insulator wafer includes a silicon device layer having regions that are doped to provide a lateral electric field and an avalanche region. A region having a modest doping level is in contact with a germanium body. There are no metal contacts made to the germanium body. The electrical contacts to the germanium body are made by way of the doped regions in the silicon device layer.

Disclosed are a photoelectronic device using a hybrid structure of silica nanoparticles and graphene quantum dots and a method of manufacturing the same. The photoelectronic device according to the present disclosure has a hybrid structure including graphene quantum dots (GQDs) bonded to surfaces of silica nanoparticles (SNPs), thereby increasing energy transfer efficiency.

Methods and systems for reducing dark current in a photodiode include heating a photodiode above room temperature. A reverse bias voltage is applied to the heated photodiode to reduce a dark current generated by the photodiode.

One embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cell by a method of crystallizing a large-area amorphous silicon thin film using a linear electron beam, and the technical problem to be solved is to crystallize an amorphous silicon thin film, which is formed on a low-priced substrate, by means of an electron beam so as for same to easily be of high quality by having high crystallization yield and to be processed at a low temperature. To this end, one embodiment of the present invention provides a method of manufacturing polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cell by means of a method for crystallizing a large-area amorphous silicon thin film using a linear electron beam, the method comprising: a substrate preparation step for preparing a substrate; a type 1+ amorphous silicon layer deposition step for forming a type 1+ amorphous silicon layer on the substrate; a type 1 amorphous silicon layer deposition step for forming a type 1 amorphous silicon layer on the type 1+ amorphous silicon layer; an absorption layer formation step for forming an absorption layer by radiating a linear electron beam to the type 1 amorphous silicon layer and thus crystallizing the type 1 amorphous layer and the type 1+ amorphous silicon layer; a type 2 amorphous silicon layer deposition step for forming a type 2 amorphous silicon layer on the absorption layer; and an emitter layer formation step for forming an emitter layer by radiating a linear electron beam to the type 2 amorphous silicon layer and thus crystallizing the type 2 amorphous silicon layer, wherein the linear electron beam is radiated from above type 1 and type 2 amorphous silicon layers in a linear scanning manner in which to reciprocate in a predetermined area.

Photodetector structures and methods of manufacture are provided. The method includes forming undercuts about detector material formed on a substrate. The method further includes encapsulating the detector to form airgaps from the undercuts. The method further includes annealing the detector material causing expansion of the detector material into the airgaps.

A unit pixel element that acts as an image sensor or a solar cell according to the present invention comprises a photo detector that drives a photocurrent flow, induced by light incident onto the gate, along the channel between the source and the drain; a first switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the source terminal of the photo detector and the first solar cell bus; and a second switch that is wired and switched on or switched off between the gate terminal of the photo detector and the second solar cell bus, and features a function of light energy harvesting and high-efficiency photoelectric conversion that generates and supplies effective electric power.

A semiconductor light receiving device includes a substrate, a semiconductor fine line waveguide provided on the substrate, and a light receiving circuit that is provided on the substrate and that absorbs light propagating through the semiconductor fine line waveguide. The light receiving circuit includes a p type first semiconductor layer, a number of second semiconductor mesa structures provided on the p type first semiconductor layer in such a manner that an n type second semiconductor layer is provided on top of an i type second semiconductor layer, a p side electrode connected to the p type first semiconductor layer in a location between the second semiconductor mesa structures, and an n side electrode connected to the n type second semiconductor layer. The refractive index and the optical absorption coefficient of the second semiconductor layers are greater than the refractive index and the optical absorption coefficient of the first semiconductor layer.