Abstract: A low loss silicon nitride film is formed by depositing a silicon nitride film on a substrate and annealing the silicon nitride film for at least ten hours at a temperature of at least 400° C. to cause the silicon nitride film to become a low loss silicon nitride film. The low loss silicon nitride film has an optical loss of less than 1 dB per cm at a wavelength of 488 nm.

Abstract: Example systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed sensing a flow of fluid using a thermopile-based flow sensing device. An example apparatus includes a flow sensing device comprising a heating structure having a centerline. The flow sensing device may further comprise a thermopile. At least a portion of the thermopile may be disposed over the heating structure. The thermopile may comprise a first thermocouple having a first thermocouple junction disposed upstream of the centerline of the heating structure. The thermopile may further comprise a second thermocouple having a second thermocouple junction disposed downstream of the centerline of the heating structure.

Abstract: Example systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed sensing a flow of fluid using a thermopile-based flow sensing device. An example apparatus includes a flow sensing device comprising a heating structure having a centerline. The flow sensing device may further comprise a thermopile. At least a portion of the thermopile may be disposed over the heating structure. The thermopile may comprise a first thermocouple having a first thermocouple junction disposed upstream of the centerline of the heating structure. The thermopile may further comprise a second thermocouple having a second thermocouple junction disposed downstream of the centerline of the heating structure.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a compact gas sensor (CGS) including a housing with a central stepped cavity with one or more first lead contact(s) forming a portion of a base plane in a bottom of the cavity and one or more second lead contact(s) forming a portion of a stepped plane higher than the base plane, the cavity sized to receive a chemically based stack of material made up of a bottom diffusion electrode layer, a middle electrolyte gel layer, and a top diffusion electrode layer. The bottom diffusion electrode layer is in electrical contact with the first lead contact(s). The top diffusion electrode layer electrically couples to the second lead contact(s) via an overlaying micro electromechanical system (MEMS) element layer with conductive coating. In an illustrative example, the CGS may provide gas sensing in small spaces.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based gas sensor including an electrolyte contacting one or more top electrode(s) arranged on the bottom surface of a top semiconductor substrate (TSS), and one or more bottom electrode(s) arranged on the top of a bottom semiconductor substrate (BSS), the TSS and BSS joined with an adhesive seal around the electrolyte, the sensor including one or more capillaries providing gaseous communication to the electrolyte from an external ambient environment. The electrodes may be electrically accessed by one or more vias to externally accessible bond pads. In some examples, an electrical connection may be made from an additional bond pad on top of the TSS to the electrolyte. Various embodiments may reduce the size of various gas sensors to advantageously allow their inclusion into portable electronic devices.

Abstract: Example systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed sensing a flow of fluid using a thermopile-based flow sensing device. An example apparatus includes a flow sensing device comprising a heating structure having a centerline. The flow sensing device may further comprise a thermopile. At least a portion of the thermopile may be disposed over the heating structure. The thermopile may comprise a first thermocouple having a first thermocouple junction disposed upstream of the centerline of the heating structure. The thermopile may further comprise a second thermocouple having a second thermocouple junction disposed downstream of the centerline of the heating structure.

Abstract: Example systems, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed sensing a flow of fluid using a thermopile-based flow sensing device. An example apparatus includes a flow sensing device comprising a heating structure having a centerline. The flow sensing device may further comprise a thermopile. At least a portion of the thermopile may be disposed over the heating structure. The thermopile may comprise a first thermocouple having a first thermocouple junction disposed upstream of the centerline of the heating structure. The thermopile may further comprise a second thermocouple having a second thermocouple junction disposed downstream of the centerline of the heating structure.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing a flow rate of a fluid comprises an upstream resistive element having a first resistance that changes with temperature, a downstream resistive element having a second resistance that changes with temperature, at least one tail resistor configured to determine thermal conductivity of the fluid, at least one pressure sensor configured to determine a differential pressure in the flow direction of the fluid, and circuitry configured to use the differential pressure with the thermal conductivity to determine a kinematic viscosity of the fluid, and compensate an output of the bridge circuit. The downstream resistive element is situated downstream of the upstream resistive element in the flow direction of the fluid, and the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element are operatively connected in a bridge circuit.

Abstract: A sensor for sensing a flow rate of a fluid comprises an upstream resistive element having a first resistance that changes with temperature, a downstream resistive element having a second resistance that changes with temperature, at least one tail resistor configured to determine thermal conductivity of the fluid, at least one pressure sensor configured to determine a differential pressure in the flow direction of the fluid, and circuitry configured to use the differential pressure with the thermal conductivity to determine a kinematic viscosity of the fluid, and compensate an output of the bridge circuit. The downstream resistive element is situated downstream of the upstream resistive element in the flow direction of the fluid, and the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element are operatively connected in a bridge circuit.

Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to a sensor for sensing a thermal property of a fluid and may comprise an upstream resistive element having a first resistance that changes with temperature; a downstream resistive element having a second resistance that changes with temperature, wherein the downstream resistive element is situated downstream of the upstream resistive element in the flow direction of the fluid; and at least one tail resistor configured to determine one or more thermal properties of the fluid, wherein the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element are operatively connected in a bridge circuit, wherein the at least one tail resistor is stable with temperature, and wherein the at least one tail resistor is electrically coupled to at least one of the upstream resistive element or the downstream resistive element.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based gas sensor including an electrolyte contacting one or more top electrode(s) arranged on the bottom surface of a top semiconductor substrate (TSS), and one or more bottom electrode(s) arranged on the top of a bottom semiconductor substrate (BSS), the TSS and BSS joined with an adhesive seal around the electrolyte, the sensor including one or more capillaries providing gaseous communication to the electrolyte from an external ambient environment. The electrodes may be electrically accessed by one or more vias to externally accessible bond pads. In some examples, an electrical connection may be made from an additional bond pad on top of the TSS to the electrolyte. Various embodiments may reduce the size of various gas sensors to advantageously allow their inclusion into portable electronic devices.

Abstract: Apparatus and associated methods relate to a compact gas sensor (CGS) including a housing with a central stepped cavity with one or more first lead contact(s) forming a portion of a base plane in a bottom of the cavity and one or more second lead contact(s) forming a portion of a stepped plane higher than the base plane, the cavity sized to receive a chemically based stack of material made up of a bottom diffusion electrode layer, a middle electrolyte gel layer, and a top diffusion electrode layer. The bottom diffusion electrode layer is in electrical contact with the first lead contact(s). The top diffusion electrode layer electrically couples to the second lead contact(s) via an overlaying micro electromechanical system (MEMS) element layer with conductive coating. In an illustrative example, the CGS may provide gas sensing in small spaces.

Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to a sensor for sensing a thermal property of a fluid and may comprise an upstream resistive element having a first resistance that changes with temperature; a downstream resistive element having a second resistance that changes with temperature, wherein the downstream resistive element is situated downstream of the upstream resistive element in the flow direction of the fluid; and at least one tail resistor configured to determine one or more thermal properties of the fluid, wherein the upstream resistive element and the downstream resistive element are operatively connected in a bridge circuit, wherein the at least one tail resistor is stable with temperature, and wherein the at least one tail resistor is electrically coupled to at least one of the upstream resistive element or the downstream resistive element.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems relating to infrared imager devices, methods for providing infrared imagers, methods of operating infrared imagers, and infrared imager systems are disclosed. An infrared imager system includes a number of lenses, a beam splitter, an imager array, and a thermo-optical array, wherein the beam splitter directs light to the imaging array and to the thermo-optical array.

Abstract: Thermal conductivity detectors and methods of operating thermal conductivity detectors are described herein. One or more device embodiments include a single fluidic channel, wherein the single fluidic channel includes a single inlet and a single outlet, and multiple sensors configured to determine one or more properties associated with a thermal conductivity of a fluid in the single fluidic channel.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems relating to infrared imager devices, methods for providing infrared imagers, methods of operating infrared imagers, and infrared imager systems are disclosed. An infrared imager system includes a number of lenses, a beam splitter, an imager array, and a thermo-optical array, wherein the beam splitter directs light to the imaging array and to the thermo-optical array.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes sensing device embodiments. One sensing device includes a heater layer, a resistance detector layer, constructed and arranged to indicate a temperature value based upon a correlation to a detected resistance value, an electrode layer, and a sensing layer.

Abstract: A method for etching a diaphragm pressure sensor based on a hybrid anisotropic etching process. A substrate with an epitaxial etch stop layer can be etched utilizing an etching process in order to form a diaphragm at a selective portion of the substrate. The diaphragm can be oriented at an angle (e.g., 45 degree) with respect to the substrate in order to avoid an uncertain beveled portion in a stress/strain field of the diaphragm. The diaphragm can be further etched utilizing an etch finishing process to create an anisotropic edge portion on the major areas of the diaphragm and optimize the thickness and size of the diaphragm. Such an approach provides an enhanced diaphragm structure with respect to a wide range of pressure sensor applications.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and systems for wafer bonding are described herein. One or more embodiments include forming a bond between a first wafer and a second wafer using a first material adjacent the first wafer and a second material adjacent the second wafer. The first material includes a layer of gold (Au) and a layer of indium (In), and the second material includes a layer of Au. Forming the bond between the first wafer and the second wafer includes combining the layer of Au in the first material, the layer of In in the first material, and a portion of the layer of Au in the second material, wherein an additional portion of the layer of Au in the second material is not combined with the layer of Au in the first material and the layer of In in the first material.

Abstract: A pixel having a reflector situated on a substrate. A temperature sensitive resistor may be situated over at least a portion of the reflector. An insulator may be situated on the resistor. The resistor and insulator may effectively be very thin films. A flat metal mesh or grid may be situated on the insulator. The grid, insulator and resistor may be supported by two or more posts at approximately one-fourth of a wavelength from the reflector. The wavelength may be that of the radiation to be sensed by the pixel. The thermal mass of the combination of the temperature sensitive resistor, insulator and grid may be less than several times the thermal mass of the grid. Since the grid may be so thin for low noise performance and high sensitivity, the grid can have a flatness assured to a desired extent with stiffeners attached to portions of it.