In an embodiment an optoelectronic semiconductor component includes a first semiconductor layer of an n-conductivity type, the first semiconductor layer being of Al.sub.xGa.sub.1-xN composition, with 0.3x0.95, a second semiconductor layer of a p-conductivity type, an active zone between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, the active zone including a quantum well structure and an intermediate layer between the first semiconductor layer and the active zone, wherein the intermediate layer includes a semiconductor material of Al.sub.yGa.sub.1-yN composition, with x*1.05y1, and wherein the intermediate layer is located directly adjacent to the active zone.

A light-emitting diode includes a first semiconductor layer, a light-emitting layer and a second semiconductor layer, having an upper surface providing a first electrode area containing a pad area and an extended area; a transparent conductive layer over the first semiconductor layer having a first opening to expose a portion of a surface of the first semiconductor layer corresponding to the pad area; a protective layer over the transparent conductive layer having a second opening and a third opening respectively at positions corresponding to the pad area and the extended area, while exposing a portion of the surface of the first semiconductor layer corresponding to the pad area and a portion of a surface of the transparent conductive layer corresponding to the extended area; and a first electrode over the protective layer directly contacting the first semiconductor layer corresponding to the pad area via the first and second openings.

Solid-state lighting devices including light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and more particularly arrangements of lumiphoric materials within LED chips are disclosed. Lumiphoric materials are incorporated or otherwise embedded within LED chips. Embedded lumiphoric materials are provided so that at least some portions of light generated by active LED structures are subject to wavelength conversion before exiting LED chip surfaces. Lumiphoric materials may form dielectric and/or passivation layers between various chip structures, such as between active LED structures and internal reflective layers and/or electrical contacts. Internally converted light propagating within LED chips may pass back through active LED structures with reduced light absorption.

A micro-LED chip includes multiple micro-LEDs. At least one micro-LED of the multiple micro-LEDs includes: a first type conductive layer; a second type conductive layer stacked on the first type conductive layer; and a light emitting layer formed between the first type conductive layer and the second type conductive layer. The light emitting layer is continuously formed on the whole micro-LED chip, the multiple micro-LEDs sharing the light emitting layer. The micro-LED chip further includes: a top spacer formed on a top surface of the light emitting layer; a bottom spacer formed on a bottom surface of the light emitting layer; and an isolation structure formed between adjacent micro-LEDs.

The presented devices and methods are directed to efficient and effective photon emission. In one embodiment, high-performance tunnel junction deep ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are created using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The device heterostructure was grown under slightly Ga-rich conditions to promote the formation of nanoscale clusters in the active region. The nanoscale clusters can act as charge containment configurations. In one exemplary implementation, a device operates at approximately 255 nm light emission with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EPE) of 7.2% and wall-plug efficiency (WPE) of 4%, which are nearly one to two orders of magnitude higher than previously reported tunnel junction devices operating at this wavelength. The devices exhibit highly stable emission originating from highly localized carriers in Ga-rich regions formed in the active region, with nearly constant emission peak with increasing current density up to 200 A/cm.sup.2, due to the strong charge carrier confinement related to the presence of nanoclusters (e.g., Ga-rich) and radiative emission originating from highly localized carriers in Ga-rich regions formed in the active region

Certain embodiments of the present invention may be directed to a transistor structure. The transistor structure may include a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may include a drift region, a collector region, an emitter region, and a lightly-doped/undoped region. The lightly-doped/undoped region may be lightly-doped and/or undoped. The transistor structure may also include a heterostructure. The heterostructure forms a heterojunction with the lightly-doped/undoped region. The transistor structure may also include a collector terminal. The collector terminal is in contact with the collector region. The transistor structure may also include a gate terminal. The gate terminal is in contact with the heterostructure. The transistor structure may also include an emitter terminal. The emitter terminal is in contact with the lightly-doped/undoped region and the emitter 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.

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.

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 photodiode structure is based on the use of a double junction sensitive to different wavelength bands based on a magnitude of a reverse bias applied to the photodiode. The monolithic integration of a sensor with double functionality in a single chip allows realization of a low cost ultra-compact sensing element in a single packaging useful in many applications which require simultaneous or spatially synchronized detection of optical photons in different spectral regions.