Abstract: The invention relates to matrix image sensors intended in particular for digital photography. The invention provides a driver in each pixel that allows exposure control common to the entire matrix. The driver comprises five transistors, a photodiode and, apart from a supply conductor and a ground, four control conductors, these being an exposure control conductor common to all the pixels of the matrix; a row selection conductor common to all the pixels of any one row; a reset conductor common to all the pixels of any one row; and a column conductor for collecting the signal read on the pixels during row-by-row reading of the charges photogenerated in the pixels of the matrix.

Abstract: The invention relates to small dimension image recorders, such as an image recorder, comprising a matrix of rows and columns of photosensitive points, arranged on a chip of a generally square or rectangular form with believed corners, characterised in comprising a reading register arranged at the base of the matrix. The register is bent to follow the bevelled corners of the chip and thus comprises a horizontal piece and two oblique pieces. The sensor further comprises means (ZIn) to direct the photosensitive charges form the columns terminating opposite the beveled corners towards the stage of the reister situated in the oblique part along the beveled corners. The above is of application to intraoral dental radiological sensors.

Abstract: The invention relates to large-dimension linear image sensors operating by relative translation between the image and the sensor and consisting of a plurality of linear arrays abutting in a staggered fashion. In order to improve the design of the sensor, according to the invention the arrays are mounted on packages whose upper surface has an elongate rectangular shape provided on two opposite sides of the rectangle with two extensions substantially covered by the ends of the array, two adjacent packages bearing against each other along a respective extension of each of them. The staggered arrangement prevents the blind zones, photosensitive points being present in the extensions, and the offset between the two rows of staggered chips is practically no greater than the width of the chips.

Abstract: The invention proposes an image sensor comprising a picture capture matrix having N rows and K columns of image dots, a read register at the free end of the K columns. In order to improve the read speed of the matrix, the invention proposes that the horizontal transfer into the read register be continued even while the vertical signals for shifting from one row to the other are operative, without however continuing the horizontal transfer while the transfer gate between columns and horizontal register is open. The unloading time of the horizontal read register therefore overlaps the time reserved for each vertical transfer step, instead of these times being added together. The gain in time, being repeated for each row, will be all the more significant the higher the number of rows. Means are provided for limiting the effect of the column transfer switching operations on the reading of the charges at the output of the read register.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the fabrication of image sensors and especially to color image sensors. The image sensor includes a region in which there is a photosensitive matrix onto which the image to be converted into electronic signals is projected and an outer region comprising peripheral electronic circuits for driving the matrix or for processing the image signals. After formation on a substrate of a stack of conducting layers and insulating layers serving for the production of the matrix of the peripheral circuits, a substantial thickness of insulation is removed only in the region of the matrix before a mosaic of color filters is deposited so as to reduce the height of the filters relative to the photosensitive regions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the recognition of digital finger prints, more particularly to recognition by an elongate bar of sensors able to detect crests and valleys of finger prints when a finger is passed in a relative manner in front of a sensor in an essentially parallel manner in relation to the direction of elongation of said bar. The inventive method comprises the following operations: successive partially overlapping images are acquired under the control of a processor; displacement of the first image in relation to a second image is examined in order to provide a better correlation between the two images; said displacement component is determined in terms of pixels in a perpendicular direction with respect to the elongate sensor; the displacement component is compared to at least one threshold; according to the result of the comparison, a delay T imposed by the processor before the acquisition of a following image is preserved, or increased or decreased by a time increment dT.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrated circuit amplifier designed to supply an amplified signal at a power of a few hundreds of milliwatts at frequencies from one to several Gigahertz.

Abstract: The invention relates to wavelength-selective optical filters for allowing light of a narrow optical spectral band, centered around a wavelength (?c) to pass through them, while reflecting the wavelengths lying outside this band. According to the invention, the transfer function (T1,2(?)) of the component is defined by multiplying two transfer functions of spectrally offset Fabry-Perot filters.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrated circuit amplifier designed to supply an amplified signal at a power of a few hundreds of milliwatts at frequencies from one to several Gigahertz.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process and to a device for positioning an optical component between two optical fibers furnished at their end with lenses comprising: drilling a support in such a way as to fix therein a capillary tube whose inside diameter is designed to slip an optical fiber thereinto, fixing the capillary tube in the drilling of the support, making a blind cut and of the capillary tube, in such a way as to separate the capillary tube into two parts, a first plane face of the cut being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube, positioning the component on the first plane face, positioning an optical fiber in each of the parts. The device comprises a support through which is fixed a capillary tube, the support comprising a cut so as to separate the capillary tube into two parts. The cut comprises a first plane face perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube. The component is positioned on the first plane face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making an integrated circuit (40) of the surface-mount type the comprising, first of all, manufacture of a package having a rear face and a pin grid array extending under this rear face perpendicular thereto, and a ball (44) of low melting point alloy is then formed at the end of each pin surrounding this end and soldered thereto. The invention also relates to an integrated circuit (40) of the surface-mount type, comprising a package having a rear face and a pin grid array, of a cross section roughly constant along the pin (42), extending under the rear face perpendicular thereto. A ball (44) of low melting point alloy is soldered to the end of each pin (42) surrounding this end.

Abstract: The invention relates to the fabrication of optical microsystems for miniature cameras or miniature matrix displays. It is proposed that N dot matrix arrays and associated circuits should be collectively fabricated, on the front of a semiconductor wafer, to produce N identical chips, with on the side of each array, external connection lands; a plate, used to collectively form N identical optical image-forming structures, each optical image-forming structure covering a respective chip and being designed to form an overall image corresponding with the whole of the matrix array of the respective chip, is fabricated collectively and placed in close contact with the front of the semiconductor wafer; through the thickness of the wafer, conductive vias extending to the contact lands are opened, and, only after these various operations, the wafer is divided into N individual optical microsystems comprising an electronic chip covered by an optical structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to the making of color image sensors for miniature cameras. The method of fabrication includes the formation on the front face of a semi-conductive wafer of a series of active zones comprising image detection circuits, each corresponding to a respective image sensor. Each active zone is surrounded by input/output pads. The wafer is transferred by its front fact against the front face of a supporting substrate. The major part of the thickness of the semiconductor wafer is eliminated, leaving a very fine semi-conductive layer including the image detection circuits on the substrate. This method is characterized in that firstly, layers of color filters are deposited and then etched on the semi-conductive layer thus thinned.

Abstract: The invention relates to method for making a color image sensor. The method comprises: the formation, on the front face of a semiconductive wafer (10), of a series of active zones (ZA) comprising image detection circuits and each corresponding to a respective image sensor, each active zone being surrounded by input/output pads (22), the transfer of the wafer by its front face against the front face of a temporary supporting substrate (20), the elimination of the major part of the thickness of the silicon wafer, leaving a fine silicon layer (30) on the substrate, this fine silicon layer comprising the image detection circuits.

Abstract: The invention relates to wavelength selective optical components for transmitting the light in a narrow spectral band, which is centered around a wavelength, and for reflecting the wavelengths lying outside this band. The component includes an input guide (2) conducting light radiation (3) to a tunable filter (1), an input guide (2) conducting the radiation (3) to the filter (1) in order to perform a first pass through it. The component includes means (6) for returning a first part (4) of the radiation (3) reflected by the filter (1) during the first pass in order to perform a second pass through it.

Abstract: The invention concerns a color image sensor that can be used to make a miniature camera, and a corresponding method for making this sensor. The image sensor comprises a transparent substrate (40) on the upper part of which are superimposed, successively, a mosaic of color filters (18), a very thin silicon layer (30) comprising photosensitive zones, and a stack of conductive layers (14) and insulating layers (16) defining image detection circuits enabling the collection of the electrical charges generated by the illumination of the photosensitive zones through the transparent substrate. The manufacturing method consists in producing the photosensitive circuits on a silicon wafer, transferring said wafer on to a temporary substrate, thinning the wafer down to a thickness of about three to 30 micrometers, depositing color filters on the surface of the remaining silicon layer and transferring the structure to a permanent transparent substrate and eliminating the temporary substrate.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention related to fingerprint sensors is described. The sensor comprises an integrated-circuit chip having a sensitive surface, a substrate provided with electrical connections and wire-bonding wires connecting the chip to the electrical connections. The sensor further includes a molded protective resin at least partly covering the substrate and the chip and completely encapsulating the wire-bonding wires. The resin forms, on at least one side of the chip and at most three sides, a bump rising to at least 500 microns above the sensitive surface, this bump encapsulating the wire-bonding wires and constituting a guide for a finger, the fingerprint of which it is desired to detect.

Abstract: A chainable adder receives bits (A, B, C) to give complementary sum outputs (SO, SO*) and carry outputs (CO, CO*). A first stage has differential pairs (P1, P2, P3) receiving bits (A, B, C), respectively, and complements (A*, B*, C*), respectively. The pairs have common output arms and are powered by an identical current (I). First and second output arms include resistors (R1, R2, R3) and (R4, R5, R6), respectively, connected-in-series to a reference potential (M). The resistors define intermediate nodes (A1, A2, A3) in the first arm, (B1, B2, B3) in the second arm. Carry outputs are taken at nodes (A2, B2). A second stage has differential pairs (P4, P5, P6) whose inputs are connected to nodes (A1, B3) for pair (P4), (A2, B2) for pair (P5), and (A3, B1) for pair (P6). Pairs (P4, P6) each have a common arm with the pair (P5) and a non-common arm.

Abstract: In digital signal demodulation and detection circuits, especially digital radio signal reception and processing circuits, the signals are received in analog form and have to be converted into logic levels. This is done in practice by comparing the level of the signal with its mean level. The mean level is established by an RC lowpass filter which introduces an inconvenient delay into the preparation of the mean level. The mean level of the signal, established by an RC filter is compared and applied to an input B of a comparator COMP, at the level of the analog signal delayed by a phase-shifter and applied to another input A of the comparator. In order that the delay introduced by the phase-shifter into the analog signal may be substantially the same as the delay given to the mean value by the RC circuit, the phase-shifter is made with the same RC circuit and an amplifier mounted so as to set up a phase shift transfer function of the (1−RCp)/(1+RCp) type where p is the Laplace variable.

Abstract: In digital signal demodulation and detection circuits, especially digital radio signal reception and processing circuits, the signals are received in analog form and have to be converted into logic levels. This is done in practice by comparing the level of the signal with its mean level. The mean level is established by an RC lowpass filter which introduces an inconvenient delay into the preparation of the mean level. The mean level of the signal, established by an RC filter is compared and applied to an input B of a comparator COMP, at the level of the analog signal delayed by a phase-shifter and applied to another input A of the comparator. In order that the delay introduced by the phase-shifter into the analog signal may be substantially the same as the delay given to the mean value by the RC circuit, the phase-shifter is made with the same RC circuit and an amplifier mounted so as to set up a phase shift transfer function of the (1−RCp)/(1+RCp) type where p is the Laplace variable.