A photovoltaic device includes one or more features that taken alone or in combination enhance its efficiency. Some embodiments may comprise a tandem solar device in which a top PV cell is fabricated upon a front transparent substrate, that also serves as the top encapsulating substance. The top PV cell including the front encapsulating substance is then bonded (e.g., using adhesive) to a bottom PV cell in order to complete the tandem device. Using the same transparent, insulating element as both front encapsulating substance and a substrate for fabricating the top PV cell, obviates to the need to provide a separate structure (with resulting interfaces) to perform the latter role. For tandem and non-tandem PV devices, a Through-Substrate-Via (TSV) structure may extend through an insulating substrate in order to provide contact with an opposite side (e.g., back electrode). Embodiments may find particular use in fabricating shingled perovskite photovoltaic solar cells.

In one aspect, an avalanche photodiode, includes an absorber, a first superlattice structure directly connected to the absorber and configured to multiply holes and a second superlattice structure directly connected to the first superlattice structure and configured to multiply electrons. The first and second superlattice structures include III-V semiconductor material. The avalanche photodiode is a dual mode device configured to operate in either a linear mode or a Geiger mode. In another aspect, a method includes fabricating the avalanche diode.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor photo-receiving device includes a substrate, a light propagation layer and a semiconductor layer including a lowest layer and upper layers. The upper layers include an optical absorption layer. The light propagation layer includes a first light input layer, a first annular layer at a desired distance from the first light input layer, and a first optical waveguide connecting the first light input layer and annular layer. The lowest layer of the semiconductor layer includes a second light input layer, a second annular layer at a desired distance from the second light input layer, and a second optical waveguide connecting the second light input layer and annular layer.

An image sensor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a radiation sensing member, a shallow trench isolation, and a color filter layer. The radiation sensing member is in the semiconductor substrate. An interface between the radiation sensing member and the semiconductor substrate includes a direct band gap material. The shallow trench isolation is in the semiconductor substrate and surrounds the radiation sensing member. The color filter layer covers the radiation sensing member.

Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect.

A method for fabricating an optically transparent conductor including depositing a plurality of metal nanowires on a substrate, annealing or illuminating the plurality of metal nanowires to thermally or optically fuse nanowire junctions between metal nanowires to form a metal nanowire network, disposing a graphene layer over the metal nanowire network to form a nanohybrid layer comprising the graphene layer and the metal nanowire network, depositing a dielectric passivation layer over the nanohybrid layer, patterning the dielectric passivation layer using lithography, printing, or any other method of patterning to define an area for the optically transparent conductor, and etching the patterned dielectric passivation layer to define the optically transparent conductor.

Embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor that optimizes a pixel array area on a substrate using a stacking scheme for placement of related circuitry with minimal vertical interconnects between stacked substrates and associated features are disclosed. Embodiments of maximized pixel array size/die size (area optimization) are disclosed, and an optimized imaging sensor providing improved image quality, improved functionality, and improved form factors for specific applications common to the industry of digital imaging are also disclosed.

According to one aspect, the invention relates to an element for quantum photodetection of an incident radiation in a spectral band centered around a central wavelength .sub.0, having a front surface intended for receiving said radiation, and including: a stack of layers of semiconductor material forming a PN or PIN junction and including at least one layer made of an absorbent semiconductor material having a cut-off wavelength .sub.0>.sub.0, the stack of layers of semiconductor material forming a resonant optical cavity; and a structure for coupling the incident radiation with the optical cavity such as to form a resonance at the central wavelength .sub.0 allowing the absorption of more than 80% in the layer of absorbent semiconductor material at said central wavelength, and an absence of resonance at the radiative wavelength .sub.rad, wherein the radiative wavelength .sub.rad is the wavelength for which, at operating temperature, the radiative recombination rate is the highest.

A structure includes a silicon substrate; silicon readout circuitry disposed on a first portion of a top surface of the substrate and a radiation detecting pixel disposed on a second portion of the top surface of the substrate. The pixel has a plurality of radiation detectors connected with the readout circuitry. The plurality of radiation detectors are composed of at least one visible wavelength radiation detector containing germanium and at least one infrared wavelength radiation detector containing a Group III-V semiconductor material. A method includes providing a silicon substrate; forming silicon readout circuitry on a first portion of a top surface of the substrate and forming a radiation detecting pixel, on a second portion of the top surface of the substrate, that has a plurality of radiation detectors formed to contain a visible wavelength detector composed of germanium and an infrared wavelength detector composed of a Group III-V semiconductor material.

Embodiments of a hybrid imaging sensor and methods for pixel sub-column data read from the within a pixel array.