The present disclosure describes an embodiment of a thin film transistor based light sensor circuit. The thin film transistor based light sensor circuit includes two thin film transistors, in which a channel region of one of the thin film transistors includes a light sensing area and a channel region of the other thin film transistor has a capping material disposed thereon. The thin film transistor based light sensor circuit further includes a comparator device electrically coupled to the two thin film transistors and configured to detect a current difference between the thin film transistors in response to the thin film transistor with the channel region having the light sensing area being exposed to light.

The present disclosure describes an embodiment of a thin film transistor based light sensor circuit. The thin film transistor based light sensor circuit includes two thin film transistors, in which a channel region of one of the thin film transistors includes a light sensing area and a channel region of the other thin film transistor has a capping material disposed thereon. The thin film transistor based light sensor circuit further includes a comparator device electrically coupled to the two thin film transistors and configured to detect a current difference between the thin film transistors in response to the thin film transistor with the channel region having the light sensing area being exposed to light.

A photovoltaic device with an improved n-type partner and a method for making the same. The device includes: a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive electrode layer disposed on the transparent substrate; an n-type layer of Zn.sub.1-xMg.sub.xO, wherein 0<x≦1, disposed on the transparent conductive electrode layer; a chalcogen absorber layer disposed on the n-type layer; and a conductive layer disposed on the chalcogen absorber layer. The method includes: forming a transparent conductive electrode layer on a transparent substrate; forming an n-type layer of Zn.sub.1-xMg.sub.xO, wherein 0<x≦1, on the transparent conductive electrode layer; forming a chalcogen absorber layer on the n-type layer; forming a conductive layer on the chalcogen absorber layer; and annealing to form the device. Another device having a superstrate configuration with the order of the layers reversed and a method for making the same is provided.

A photovoltaic device with an improved n-type partner and a method for making the same. The device includes: a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive electrode layer disposed on the transparent substrate; an n-type layer of Zn.sub.1-xMg.sub.xO, wherein 0<x≦1, disposed on the transparent conductive electrode layer; a chalcogen absorber layer disposed on the n-type layer; and a conductive layer disposed on the chalcogen absorber layer. The method includes: forming a transparent conductive electrode layer on a transparent substrate; forming an n-type layer of Zn.sub.1-xMg.sub.xO, wherein 0<x≦1, on the transparent conductive electrode layer; forming a chalcogen absorber layer on the n-type layer; forming a conductive layer on the chalcogen absorber layer; and annealing to form the device. Another device having a superstrate configuration with the order of the layers reversed and a method for making the same is provided.

A nanowire composite structure is provided. The nanowire composite structure includes a nanowire core, wherein a material of the nanowire core includes Se, Te or a combination thereof. The nanowire composite structure also includes a metal layer covering the nanowire core. A method for forming the nanowire composite structure, a protective structure of a nanowire, a sensing device, and a method for forming a sensing device are also provided.

An imaging device that facilitates pooling processing. A pixel region includes a plurality of pooling modules and an output circuit, the pooling module includes a pooling circuit and a comparison module, the pooling circuit includes a plurality of pixels and an arithmetic circuit, and the comparison module includes a plurality of comparison circuits and a determination circuit. The pixel can obtain a first signal through photoelectric conversion, and can multiply the first signal by a given scaling factor to generate a second signal. The pooling circuit adds a plurality of second signals in the arithmetic circuit to generate a third signal, the comparison module compares a plurality of third signals and outputs the largest third signal to the determination circuit, and the determination circuit determines the largest third signal and binarizes it to generate a fourth signal. In the imaging device, the pooling module performs pooling processing in accordance with the number of pixels and outputs data obtained by the pooling processing.

A photovoltaic device with increased efficiency and a method for making the same. The present invention provides a photovoltaic device including: a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive electrode layer disposed on the transparent substrate; an n-type layer disposed on the transparent conductive electrode layer; a chalcogen absorber layer disposed on the n-type layer; a p-type molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) interlayer disposed on the chalcogen absorber layer; and a conductive layer disposed on the interlayer. A photovoltaic device having a superstrate configuration with the order of the layers reversed is also provided. The present invention further provides methods for making the photovoltaic devices according to the present invention.

A semiconductor device including pixels arranged in a matrix of n rows and m columns, in which the pixels in the m-th column are shielded from light, is provided.

A semiconductor device including pixels arranged in a matrix of n rows and m columns, in which the pixels in the m-th column are shielded from light, is provided.

Techniques for electrodepositing selenium (Se)-containing films are provided. In one aspect, a method of preparing a Se electroplating solution is provided. The method includes the following steps. The solution is formed from a mixture of selenium oxide; an acid selected from the group consisting of alkane sulfonic acid, alkene sulfonic acid, aryl sulfonic acid, heterocyclic sulfonic acid, aromatic sulfonic acid and perchloric acid; and a solvent. A pH of the solution is then adjusted to from about 2.0 to about 3.0. The pH of the solution can be adjusted to from about 2.0 to about 3.0 by adding a base (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to the solution. A Se electroplating solution, an electroplating method and a method for fabricating a photovoltaic device are also provided.