A light controlled semiconductor switch (LCSS), method of making, and method of using are provided. In embodiments, a lateral LCSS includes: a semiconductor body including a photoactive layer of gallium nitride (GaN) doped with carbon; a first electrode in contact with a first surface of the semiconductor body; and a second electrode in contact with the first surface of the semiconductor body, the first and second electrodes defining an area through which light energy from at least one light source can impinge on the first surface, wherein the LCSS is configured to switch from a non-conductive off-state to a conductive on-state when the light energy impinging on the semiconductor body is sufficient to raise electrons within the photoactive layer into a conduction band of the photoactive layer.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards an image sensor having a photodetector disposed in a semiconductor substrate. The photodetector comprises a first doped region comprising a first dopant having a first doping type. A deep well region extends from a back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate to a top surface of the first doped region. A second doped region is disposed within the semiconductor substrate and abuts the first doped region. The second doped region and the deep well region comprise a second dopant having a second doping type opposite the first doping type. An isolation structure is disposed within the semiconductor substrate. The isolation structure extends from the back-side surface of the semiconductor substrate to a point below the back-side surface. A doped liner is disposed between the isolation structure and the second doped region. The doped liner comprises the second dopant.

Provided is a semiconductor light-receiving element having high light reception sensitivity and high ESD withstand voltage. The semiconductor light-receiving element (100) includes an n-type InP substrate (110), an n-type InGaAs light-absorbing layer (130), and an InP window layer (140). A p-type impurity diffusion region (150) that reaches an upper part of the n-type InGaAs light-absorbing layer (130) is formed in the InP window layer (140). The n-type InGaAs light-absorbing layer (130) has a thickness of 2.2 m or more and a carrier density due to an n-type impurity of 2.510.sup.15/cm.sup.3 or more.

Provided is a semiconductor light-receiving element including: a substrate; a semiconductor lamination portion formed on a first region of the substrate; and a first electrode and a second electrode which are electrically connected to the semiconductor lamination portion. The semiconductor lamination portion includes a light absorbing layer that has a first conductivity type and contains In.sub.xGa.sub.1-xAs, a buffer layer that has the first conductivity type and is provided between the substrate and the light absorbing layer, and a second region that has a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, is located on a side opposite to the substrate with respect to the light absorbing layer, and is in contact with the light absorbing layer.

Techniques for realizing compound semiconductor (CS) optoelectronic devices on silicon (Si) substrates for mobile applications are disclosed. The integration platform is based on heteroepitaxy of CS materials and device structures on Si by direct heteroepitaxy on planar Si substrates or by selective area heteroepitaxy on dielectric patterned Si substrates. Following deposition of the CS device structures, device fabrication steps can be carried out using Si complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication techniques to enable large-volume manufacturing. The integration platform can enable manufacturing of optoelectronic devices including photodetector arrays for image sensors and vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays. Such devices can be used in various applications including light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems for mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, and for other perception applications such as industrial vision, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Techniques for realizing compound semiconductor (CS) optoelectronic devices on silicon (Si) substrates are disclosed. The integration platform is based on heteroepitaxy of CS materials and device structures on Si by direct heteroepitaxy on planar Si substrates or by selective area heteroepitaxy on dielectric patterned Si substrates. Following deposition of the CS device structures, device fabrication steps can be carried out using Si complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication techniques to enable large-volume manufacturing. The integration platform can enable manufacturing of optoelectronic module devices including photodetector arrays for image sensors and vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays. Such module devices can be used in various applications including light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems for automotive and robotic vehicles as well as mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, and for other perception applications such as industrial vision, artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR).

Devices, systems and methods for operating and using an optically quenchable carbon-doped gallium nitride photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) are described. An example method includes illuminating a carbon-doped gallium nitride material of the photoconductive semiconductor switch with a first laser light within a first range of wavelengths to trigger the photoconductive semiconductor switch to a conductive state, turning off or blocking the first laser light, and illuminating the carbon-doped gallium nitride material with a second laser light within a second range of wavelengths to trigger the photoconductive semiconductor switch to an insulating state. In this example, the first range of wavelengths comprises an ultraviolet (UV) or a blue wavelength range, the second range of wavelengths comprises an infrared (IR) or a red wavelength range, and switching from the conductive state to the insulating state occurs within a sub-nanosecond range.

A buffer layer (2), a multiplication layer (3), a light-absorbing layer (5), a window layer (6,7), and a contact layer (8) are sequentially stacked on a semiconductor substrate (1). The window layer (6,7) is doped with an impurity to form a p-type region (9). A bandgap of the window layer (6,7) is greater than a bandgap of the light-absorbing layer (5). The window layer (6,7) includes a first window layer (6), and a second window layer (7) formed on the first window layer (1). A diffusion rate of the impurity in the second window layer (7) is higher than a diffusion rate of the impurity in the first window layer (6). The first window layer (6) is a Ru, Rh or Os-doped InP layer.

The present invention relates to techniques, including methods and devices, for optical technology. In particular, the present invention provides methods, devices, and structures for optical devices, and in particular, photo diodes, commonly called photo sensors.

The invention relates inter alia to a photoconductor (10) comprising a multilayer (13) which comprises a plurality of photoconductive semiconductor layers (131-134). According to the invention, the multilayer (13) comprises at least two sublayers (130) which each comprise at least a first photoconductive semiconductor layer (131) and a second photoconductive semiconductor layer (132), wherein the first and the second photoconductive semiconductor layer (131, 132) are doped to different degrees for each of the sublayers (130).