Abstract: An optical emitter-receiver module includes a light source, a photodetector and a fiber. The light source emits an emitted beam. The fiber includes a core and an optical axis. The fiber has an outer surface, inclined at an angle of 45° with respect to the optical axis, having a mirror. The fiber has a notch, extending to the core of the fiber and having a face having a dichroic filter for reflecting a received beam. The light source is arranged relative to the mirror so that the emitted beam is reflected by the mirror and transmitted in the fiber. The photodetector and the face of the notch are positioned so that the received beam reflected by the dichroic filter is directed towards the photodetector.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a sensor device comprises a sensor configured to output a sense signal, a value the sense signal changing over time based on incident light, a first reset circuit configured to set the value of the sense signal to a reset value when the value of the sense signal exceeds a threshold, a counter configured to count a first number of times of reset by the first reset circuit, and an arithmetic operation circuit configured to calculate an amount of incident light of a certain period based on the value of the sense signal, the reset value, and the first number of times of reset.

Abstract: The range of energy transmissions or bursts (e.g., the range of high power microwave (HPM) directed energy weapons) may be increased using multiple sources (e.g., multiple HPM sources). For instance, according to techniques described herein, the individual sources may be fired at precise times such that the electromagnetic pulses are efficiently generated by each source and accurately add waveform peaks on the target. One or more aspects of the described techniques achieve sub-nanosecond timing accuracy by placing an HPM source, ultra-stable clock, and a laser pulse detector on each HPM weapon platform. For instance, the array may be triggered by firing a laser pulse at the target from one platform. By timing the firing of each HPM source based upon when the reflected laser pulse arrives at each platform as measured by the clock, the HPM pulses may arrive on target more accurately (e.g., more simultaneously).

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element, and a switching region therebetween configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.

Abstract: The present technology relates to a light receiving element and a ranging system to reduce power consumption. A light receiving element includes a pixel which includes an SPAD, a first transistor configured to set a cathode voltage of the SPAD at a first negative voltage, a voltage conversion circuit configured to convert the cathode voltage of the SPAD upon incidence of a photon and output the converted cathode voltage, and an output unit configured to output a detection signal indicating the incidence of the photon on the SPAD on the basis of the converted cathode voltage. The present technology is applicable to a ranging system that detects a range in a depth direction to a subject, for example.

Abstract: A detector system which can be switched between single photon counting and charge integrating mode depending on the application, the photon flux and energy. Although the space for electronics in a pixel or strip detector system is very limited (as each channel is limited by the pixel size), the reconfiguration of the analog chain and the logic/counter in this smart way yields to have a detector system allowing both modes of operation and, therefore, effectively combining the characteristics of an Eiger® single photon counting system and a Jungfrau® charge integrating pixel detector system into one single detector. Depending on the application, the flux and the photon energy, the operator is enabled to switch between single photon counting and charge integrating mode of operation.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes at least one photodetector configured to be reverse biased at a voltage exceeding a breakdown voltage by an excess bias voltage. At least one control unit is configured to adjust the reverse bias of the at least one photodetector. A method of operating an optical sensor is also disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for real-time adjustment of image quality parameters. The system includes a controller configured to: acquire an image frame, having a fixed-pixel region that defines a region-of-interest, from one or more imaging devices; apply image processing techniques to determine a modified fixed-pixel region that excludes non-relevant object pixels; alter one or more image quality parameters based on statistics of pixels in the modified fixed-pixel region; and provide the altered one or more image quality parameters to the one or more imaging devices for use with subsequent image frames; wherein the one or more imaging devices produce an image that is tuned, based on the altered one or more image quality parameters, to the portions of the image in the region-of-interest that does not include the non-relevant object pixels.

Abstract: A switch circuit for use in a single-ended switched-capacitor circuit for front-end circuitry of a sensor device is disclosed. The switch circuit comprises a first transistor and a second transistor having a same channel-type as the first transistor. A first node is connected to a source of the first transistor and a drain of the second transistor and a second node is connected to a drain of the first transistor and a source of the second transistor. Also disclosed is a sampling circuit comprising the switch circuit and a sampling capacitor, wherein the switch circuit is configurable to electrically couple the sampling capacitor to an integrator circuit or to a voltage reference. An integrated circuit device and a light to frequency converter or light sensor comprising the switch circuit is also disclosed.

Abstract: A superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) device includes a substrate having a top surface, an optical waveguide on the top surface of the substrate to receive light propagating substantially parallel to the top surface of the substrate, a seed layer of metal nitride on the optical waveguide, and a superconductive wire on the seed layer. The superconductive wire is a metal nitride different from the metal nitride of the seed layer and is optically coupled to the optical waveguide.

Abstract: An apparatus for increasing a lidar sensing distance may include a controller having a signal processor to process a noise signal. In particular, the signal processor includes: an amplifier which amplifies the noise signal, a comparator which is connected to the amplifier and receives the amplified noise signal to compare the amplified noise signal with a threshold, a digital-to-analog converter which inputs the threshold to the comparator, and an analog-to-digital converter which is connected between the amplifier and the comparator and receives the amplified noise signal from the amplifier to input the received amplified noise signal to the controller. The controller may control the digital-to-analog converter on the basis of the amplified noise signal.

Abstract: A method and system for autofocusing an objective lens in a microscope system are disclosed. A decentered aperture is disposed in an optical path between an objective lens and an image plane of an image capturing device and a plurality of reference images are captured. Each reference image is captured when the objective lens is positioned at a corresponding z-position of a plurality of z-positions along an axis of travel of the objective lens and the optical path is at least partially occluded by the decentered aperture. At least one reference image of the plurality of the reference images is associated with a best focus position. The plurality of reference images are analyzed to develop a plurality of pattern locations, wherein each pattern location represents a position of a pattern formed on the image plane when a corresponding reference image was captured. The objective lens is positioned in accordance with the best focus position and the plurality of pattern locations.

Abstract: An optical module includes a beam-tilting light source enclosure. The enclosure is coupled to a substrate that includes a light emitter connected thereto. The enclosure has a geometry such that the enclosure has a first surface configured to couple substantially flat to the substrate and a second surface tilted with respect to the first surface and configured to couple substantially flat to a component of an electronic device through which the light is to project. The enclosure is optically transmissive and covers the light source when coupled to the substrate. In this way, the enclosure may be assembled and used in the electronic device by coupling the first surface to the substrate and coupling the second surface to the component.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit to improve the sensing efficiency of pixels that uses the induction effect of a capacitor to duplicate a voltage deviation caused by additional electrons and uses a circuit to cancel out the voltage deviation during reading pixel data thereby improving the sensing efficiency.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit to improve the sensing efficiency of pixels that uses the induction effect of a capacitor to duplicate a voltage deviation caused by additional electrons and uses a circuit to cancel out the voltage deviation during reading pixel data thereby improving the sensing efficiency.

Abstract: Various technologies described herein pertain to a time of flight lidar sensor system that uses a coherent detection scheme. The lidar sensor system includes a laser source, a semiconductor optical amplifier, a combiner, and a balanced detector. The laser source emits an input optical signal. The semiconductor optical amplifier receives a first portion of the input optical signal and outputs a modulated optical signal (amplified and modulated). The combiner receives a second portion of the input optical signal and a returned optical signal received responsive to transmission of at least a portion of the modulated optical signal. The combiner coherently mixes the second portion of the input optical signal with the returned optical signal and outputs mixed optical signals. The balanced detector detects the mixed optical signals and generates an output signal (e.g., a differential photocurrent), which can be used to detect a distance to a target.

Abstract: There is provided a circuit to improve the sensing efficiency of pixels that uses the induction effect of a capacitor to duplicate a voltage deviation caused by additional electrons and uses a circuit to cancel out the voltage deviation during reading pixel data thereby improving the sensing efficiency.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor for a terahertz imaging system, comprising an array of terahertz radiation receivers; and an array of terahertz radiation transmitters having the same pitch as the array of receivers, located between the array of receivers and an analysis zone located in the near field of the transmitters, and configured such that each transmitter emits a wave towards both the analysis zone and a respective receiver of the array of receivers.

Abstract: An optical sensor package includes an IC die including a light sensor element, an output node, and bond pads including a bond pad coupled to the output node. A leadframe includes a plurality of leads or lead terminals, wherein at least some of the plurality of leads or lead terminals are coupled to the bond pads including to the bond pad coupled to the output node. A mold compound provides encapsulation for the optical sensor package including for the light sensor element. The mold compound includes a polymer-base material having filler particles including at least one of infrared or terahertz transparent particle composition provided in a sufficient concentration so that the mold compound is optically transparent for providing an optical transparency of at least 50% for a minimum mold thickness of 500 ?m in a portion of at least one of an infrared frequency range and a terahertz frequency range.

Abstract: A determination method determines a difference voltage between a breakdown voltage and a bias voltage. A temperature compensation unit provides temperature compensation for the gain of the APD by controlling the bias voltage based on the difference voltage. The bias voltage is “Vr”, and the gain of the APD to which the bias voltage is applied is “M”. The slope and intercept of the regression line having “(1/M)×(dM/dVr)” as an objective variable and “M” as an explanatory variable in data indicating the correlation between the bias voltage and the gain are obtained. “?V” calculated by substituting the slope into “a” in the Equation (1), substituting the intercept into “b” in the Equation (1), and substituting a gain to be set in an avalanche photodiode of a light detection device into “Md” in the Equation (1) is determined as the difference voltage.