A nanowire array is described herein. The nanowire array comprises a substrate and a plurality of nanowires extending essentially vertically from the substrate; wherein: each of the nanowires has uniform chemical along its entire length; a refractive index of the nanowires is at least two times of a refractive index of a cladding of the nanowires. This nanowire array is useful as a photodetector, a submicron color filter, a static color display or a dynamic color display.

Methods are provided for controlling the shape of antimony selenide (Sb.sub.2Se.sub.3) synthesized nanostructures. The method dissolves an antimony (III) salt in a first amount of carboxylic acid, forming an antimony precursor. In one aspect, antimony (III) chloride is dissolved in oleic acid. Separately, selenourea is dissolved in oleylamine, forming a selenium precursor. The antimony precursor is combined with the selenium precursor to form a first solution and cause a reaction. The reaction is quenched with a solvent having a low boiling point. In response to quenching the reaction in the first solution, antimony selenide nanorods are formed, having a length in the range of 150-200 nanometers (nm) and a diameter in the range of 20 to 30 nm. Related methods can be used to create, shorter nanorods, nanocrystals, and hollow nanospheres.

A process is provided for contacting a nanostructured surface. In that process, a substrate is provided having a nanostructured material on a surface, the substrate being conductive and the nanostructured material being coated with an insulating material. A portion of the nanostructured material is at least partially removed. A conductor is deposited on the substrate in such a way that it is in electrical contact with the substrate through the area where the nanostructured material has been at least partially removed.

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.

In one aspect, optoelectronic devices are described herein. In some implementations, an optoelectronic device comprises a photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell comprises a space-charge region, a quasi-neutral region, and a low bandgap absorber region (LBAR) layer or an improved transport (IT) layer at least partially positioned in the quasi-neutral region of the cell.

An iridium silicide structure, devices made from iridium silicide structures, and associated methods are shown. Example devices include iridium silicide structures formed on a (110) surface of a silicon substrate. After formation of the iridium silicide structures, any number of possible electronic devices may be formed, including, but not limited to IR detectors and FinFET devices.

A photodetector assembly for ultraviolet and far-ultraviolet detection includes an anode, a microchannel plate with an array of multichannel walls, and a photocathode layer disposed on the microchannel plate. Additionally, the photocathode may include nanowires deposited on a top surface of the array of multichannel walls.

The present invention includes a method for biomimetic-inspired infrared sensors utilizing a bottom up approach. This method includes providing a sinusoidal alternating electrical field between a preformed electrode gap comprising two gold micro-electrodes. Providing single needles of zinc phosphide crystals optimized for growth conditions using a physical vapour transport. Immobilizing at least one individual zinc phosphide nanowire in the preformed electrode gap using dielectrophoretic manipulation. And, placing and contacting the at least one individual zinc phosphide nanowire in the preformed electrode gap. Two nanowires are combined to form a lambda shape for improved sensing.

A liquid crystal display device containing a liquid crystal panel that includes a first substrate, a second substrate, and first and second polarizers at respective outer surfaces of the first and second substrates; and a backlight unit under the liquid crystal panel that includes a light source, wherein the light source includes a first luminous body having a first peak wavelength, a second luminous body having a second peak wavelength greater than the first peak wavelength, and a third luminous body having a third peak wavelength greater than the second peak wavelength, and wherein the first polarizer contains a light absorption layer having an absorption peak between the second peak wavelength and the third peak wavelength.

A superlattice structure for a thin film solar cell includes superimposed layers of nanocrystals and is configured to generate a flow of electrons across the layers when it is irradiated by a solar radiation. Each of the layers includes an array of nanocrystals which have substantially the same size and shape and the nanocrystals of each of the layers have different size and/or different shape with respect to the nanocrystals of the other layers. The layers are sorted in such an order that the superlattice structure is anisotropic. A thin film solar cell having the superlattice structure and a method for making the superlattice structure is related.