The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

The present invention discloses a photo-detector comprising: an n-type photon absorbing layer of a first energy bandgap; a middle barrier layer, an intermediate layer is a semiconductor structure; and a contact layer of a third energy bandgap, wherein the layer materials are selected such that the first energy bandgap of the photon absorbing layer is narrower than that of said middle barrier layer; wherein the material composition and thickness of said intermediate layer are selected such that the valence band of the intermediate layer lies above the valence band in the barrier layer to create an efficient trapping and transfer of minority carriers from the barrier layer to the contact layer such that a tunnel current through the barrier layer from the contact layer to the photon absorbing layer is less than a dark current in the photo-detector and the dark current from the photon-absorbing layer to said middle barrier layer is essentially diffusion limited and is due to the unimpeded flow of minority carriers, thus reducing generation-recombination (GR) noise of the photo-detector. The principles of the present invention also apply to inverted polarity structures of the form pBp in which all the doping polarities and band alignments described above are reversed.

An LED device capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation ranging from about 200 nm to 365 nm, the device. The device includes a substrate member, the substrate member being selected from sapphire, silicon, quartz, gallium nitride, gallium aluminum nitride, or others. The device has an active region overlying the substrate region, the active region comprising a light emitting spatial region comprising a p-n junction and characterized by a current crowding feature of electrical current provided in the active region. The light emitting spatial region is characterized by about 1 to 10 microns. The device includes an optical structure spatially disposed separate and apart the light emitting spatial region and is configured to facilitate light extraction from the active region.

The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

A superlattice cell that includes Group IV elements is repeated multiple times so as to form the superlattice. Each superlattice cell has multiple ordered atomic planes that are parallel to one another. At least two of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell have different chemical compositions. One or more of the atomic planes in the superlattice cell one or more components selected from the group consisting of carbon, tin, and lead. These superlattices make a variety of applications including, but not limited to, transistors, light sensors, and light sources.

Plasmonic avalanche photodetection employs an optical antenna and an avalanche photodiode (APD) coupled to the optical antenna. Hot carriers generated by light incident on the optical antenna are received in an avalanche multiplication region of the APD where avalanche multiplication of the hot carriers is provided.

The invention relates to a majority current assisted detector device, comprising a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, at least two control regions of the first conductivity type, at least two detection regions of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type, and a source for generating a majority carrier current in the semiconductor layer between the two control regions, the majority current being associated with an electrical field. The detection regions surround the control regions, thereby forming at least two taps. The device is configured for backside illumination and further comprises a well of the first conductivity type between the two detection regions for insulating the detection regions. The well comprises pixel circuitry elements.

Embodiments described herein relate to a dual-band photodetector. The dual-band photodetector includes a barrier layer (10) disposed between two infrared absorption layers (8, 12) wherein the barrier layer (10) is lattice matched to at least one of the infrared absorption layers (8, 12). Furthermore, one infrared absorption layer includes dilute nitride to adjust the band gap to a desired cut-off wavelength while maintaining valence-band alignment with the barrier layer. Embodiments also relate to a system and processes for producing the photodetector fabricated from semiconductor materials.

Optically sensitive devices include a device comprising a first contact and a second contact, each having a work function, and an optically sensitive material between the first contact and the second contact. The optically sensitive material comprises a p-type semiconductor, and the optically sensitive material has a work function. Circuitry applies a bias voltage between the first contact and the second contact. The optically sensitive material has an electron lifetime that is greater than the electron transit time from the first contact to the second contact when the bias is applied between the first contact and the second contact. The first contact provides injection of electrons and blocking the extraction of holes. The interface between the first contact and the optically sensitive material provides a surface recombination velocity less than 1 cm/s.

The present invention discloses a photo-detector comprising: an n-type photon absorbing layer of a first energy bandgap; a middle barrier layer, an intermediate layer is a semiconductor structure; and a contact layer of a third energy bandgap, wherein the layer materials are selected such that the first energy bandgap of the photon absorbing layer is narrower than that of said middle barrier layer; wherein the material composition and thickness of said intermediate layer are selected such that the valence band of the intermediate layer lies above the valence band in the barrier layer to create an efficient trapping and transfer of minority carriers from the barrier layer to the contact layer such that a tunnel current through the barrier layer from the contact layer to the photon absorbing layer is less than a dark current in the photo-detector and the dark current from the photon-absorbing layer to said middle barrier layer is essentially diffusion limited and is due to the unimpeded flow of minority carriers, thus reducing generation-recombination (GR) noise of the photo-detector. The principles of the present invention also apply to inverted polarity structures of the form pBp in which all the doping polarities and band alignments described above are reversed.