An image sensor cell formed inside and on top of a substrate of a first conductivity type, including: a read region of the second conductivity type; and, adjacent to the read region, a storage region of the first conductivity type topped with a first insulated gate electrode. The first electrode is arranged to receive, in a first operating mode, a first voltage causing the inversion of the conductivity type of the storage region, so that the storage region behaves as an extension of the read region, and, in a second operating mode, a second voltage causing no inversion of the storage region.

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.

An optical sensor including a semiconductor substrate; a first light absorption region formed in the semiconductor substrate, the first light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a first wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; a second light absorption region formed on the first light absorption region, the second light absorption region configured to absorb photons at a second wavelength range and to generate photo-carriers from the absorbed photons; and a sensor control signal coupled to the second light absorption region, the sensor control signal configured to provide at least a first control level and a second control level.

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.

Guided-wave photodetectors based on absorption of infrared photons by mid-bandgap states in non-crystal semiconductors. In one example, a resonant guided-wave photodetector is fabricated based on a polysilicon layer used for the transistor gate in a SOI CMOS process without any change to the foundry process flow (zero-change CMOS). Mid-bandgap defect states in the polysilicon absorb infrared photons. Through a combination of doping mask layers, a lateral p-n junction is formed in the polysilicon, and a bias voltage applied across the junction creates a sufficiently strong electric field to enable efficient photo-generated carrier extraction and high-speed operation. An example device has a responsivity of more than 0.14 A/W from 1300 to 1600 nm, a 10 GHz bandwidth, and 80 nA dark current at 15 V reverse bias.

A dynamic photodiode detector or detector array having a light absorbing region of doped semiconductor material for absorbing photons. Electrons or holes generated by photon absorption are detected with a construction of oppositely heavily doped anode and cathode regions and a heavily doped ground region of the same doping type as the anode region. Photon detection involves switching the device from reverse bias to forward bias to create a depletion region enclosing the anode region. When a photon is then absorbed the electron or hole thereby generated drifts under the electric field induced by the biasing to the depletion region where it causes the anode-to-ground current to increase. Furthermore, the detector is configured such that anode-to-cathode current starts to flow once a threshold number of electrons or holes reaches the depletion region, where the threshold may be one to provide single photon detection.

High field-effect mobility is provided for a transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Further, a highly reliable semiconductor device including the transistor is provided. In a bottom-gate transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, an oxide semiconductor layer functioning as a current path (channel) of the transistor is sandwiched between oxide semiconductor layers having lower carrier densities than the oxide semiconductor layer. In such a structure, the channel is formed away from the interface of the oxide semiconductor stacked layer with an insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor stacked layer, i.e., a buried channel is formed.

The present disclosure relates to a photo sensor module. The thickness and size of an IC chip may be reduced by manufacturing a photo sensor based on a semiconductor substrate and improving the structure to place a UV sensor on the upper section of an active device or a passive device. The photo sensor module includes a semiconductor substrate, a field oxide layer, formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a photo sensor comprising a photo diode formed on the field oxide layer.

In image sensors and methods of manufacturing the same, a substrate has a photoelectric conversion area, a floating diffusion area and a recess between the photoelectric conversion area and the floating diffusion area. A plurality of photodiodes is vertically arranged inside the substrate in the photoelectric conversion area. A transfer transistor is arranged along a surface profile of the substrate having the recess and configured to transfer electric charges generated from the plurality of photodiodes to the floating diffusion area. The transfer transistor includes a gate insulation pattern on a sidewall and a bottom of the recess and on a surface of the substrate around the recess, and a gate conductive pattern including polysilicon doped with impurities and positioned on the gate insulation pattern along the surface profile of the substrate having the recess, wherein a cavity is in an upper surface of the gate conductive pattern.

Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulation film layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.