According to various embodiments, there is provided a diode device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor region formed within the semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial region of the first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The first semiconductor region includes a chalcogen. The epitaxial region is formed over the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region is formed over the epitaxial region.

A protection device includes a first inductive element connecting first and second terminals and a second inductive element connecting third and fourth terminals. A first component includes a first avalanche diode connected in parallel with a first diode string, anodes of the first avalanche diode and a last diode in the string being connected to ground, cathodes of the first avalanche diode and a first diode in the string being connected, and a tap of the first diode string being connected to the first terminal. A second protection component includes a second avalanche diode connected in parallel with a second diode string, anodes of the second avalanche diode and a last diode in the string being connected to ground, cathodes of the second avalanche diode and a first diode in the string being connected, and a tap of the second diode string being connected to the third terminal.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) or an absorption region comprising a semiconductor single crystal such as a CdZnTe single crystal or a CdTe single crystal. The apparatus may be configured to absorb radiation particles incident on an absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal and to generate charge carriers. The apparatus may comprise an electrode comprising silver nanoparticles and being electrically connected to the absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal. For the APDs, each of the APDs may comprise an amplification region, which may comprise a junction with an electric field in the junction. The electric field may be at a value sufficient to cause an avalanche of charge carriers entering the amplification region, but not sufficient to make the avalanche self-sustaining. The junctions of the APDs may be discrete.

According to various embodiments, there is provided a diode device including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type, a first semiconductor region formed within the semiconductor substrate, an epitaxial region of the first conductivity type, and a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The first semiconductor region includes a chalcogen. The epitaxial region is formed over the first semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region is formed over the epitaxial region.

Disclosed herein is an apparatus comprising: an array of avalanche photodiodes (APDs) or an absorption region comprising a semiconductor single crystal such as a CdZnTe single crystal or a CdTe single crystal. The apparatus may be configured to absorb radiation particles incident on an absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal and to generate charge carriers. The apparatus may comprise an electrode comprising silver nanoparticles and being electrically connected to the absorption region of the APDs or the semiconductor single crystal. For the APDs, each of the APDs may comprise an amplification region, which may comprise a junction with an electric field in the junction. The electric field may be at a value sufficient to cause an avalanche of charge carriers entering the amplification region, but not sufficient to make the avalanche self-sustaining. The junctions of the APDs may be discrete.

A transient voltage suppression (TVS) device, may include: a substrate base formed in a substrate, the substrate base comprising a semiconductor of a first conductivity type; and an epitaxial layer, disposed on the substrate base, on a first side of the substrate, and comprising a semiconductor of a second conductivity type. The epitaxial layer may include: a first portion, the first portion having a first layer thickness; and a second portion, the second portion having a second layer thickness, less than the first layer thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion are disposed on a first side of the substrate, and wherein the first portion is electrically isolated from the second portion.

The invention relates to an avalanche diode that can be employed as an ESD protection device. An avalanche ignition region is formed at the p-n junction of the diode and includes an enhanced defect concentration level to provide rapid onset of avalanche current. The avalanche ignition region is preferably formed wider than the diode depletion zone, and is preferably created by placement, preferably by ion implantation, of an atomic specie different from that of the principal device structure. The doping concentration of the placed atomic specie should be sufficiently high to ensure substantially immediate onset of avalanche current when the diode breakdown voltage is exceeded. The new atomic specie preferably comprises argon or nitrogen, but other atomic species can be employed. However, other means of increasing a defect concentration level in the diode depletion zone, such as an altered annealing program, are also contemplated.

A semiconductor device, sensor, and array of SPAD cubes are described. One example of the disclosed sensor includes at least one Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) cube established in a substrate, the at least one SPAD cube including a photosensitive area that is configured to produce an electrical signal in response to light impacting the photosensitive area, where the photosensitive area is positioned at a first side of the at least one SPAD cube, a contact that receives the electrical signal, where the contact is positioned at a second side of the at least one SPAD cube that opposes the first side of the at least one SPAD cube, and at least one trench that spans an entire thickness of the substrate thereby electrically and optically isolating the at least one SPAD cube from adjacent SPAD cubes.

A transient voltage suppression (TVS) device, may include: a substrate base formed in a substrate, the substrate base comprising a semiconductor of a first conductivity type; and an epitaxial layer, disposed on the substrate base, on a first side of the substrate, and comprising a semiconductor of a second conductivity type. The epitaxial layer may include: a first portion, the first portion having a first layer thickness; and a second portion, the second portion having a second layer thickness, less than the first layer thickness, wherein the first portion and the second portion are disposed on a first side of the substrate, and wherein the first portion is electrically isolated from the second portion.

An electrostatic discharge protection device includes the following successive structures: a very heavily-doped semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; a first heavily-doped buried semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; a first lightly-doped semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type; and a second heavily-doped layer of the first conductivity type. The device further includes, located between first heavily-doped buried semiconductor layer and the first lightly-doped semiconductor layer, a third doped layer of the first conductivity type having a thickness and a dopant atom concentration configured to form, at a junction of the first lightly-doped semiconductor layer and the third layer, a diode having a reverse punchthrough operation.