Abstract: An ultrasound transducer arrangement (100) is disclosed comprising a plurality of substrate islands (110, 120, 130) spatially separated and electrically interconnected by a flexible polymer assembly (150) including electrically conductive tracks providing said electrical interconnections, said plurality including a first substrate island (110) comprising a plurality of ultra sound transducer cells (112) and a second substrate island (120) comprising an array of external contacts for connecting the ultrasound sensor arrangement to a flexible tubular body including a coaxial wire assembly (200) comprising a plurality of coaxial wires (220) each having a conductive core (228) covered by an electrically insulating sleeve (226); and an electrically insulating body (210) having a first main surface (211), a second main surface (213) and a plurality of through holes (212) each extending from the first main surface to the second main surface and coated with an electrically conductive member, wherein each coaxial wire

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrical cable (100) for exchanging communication signals between two devices, particularly a cable (100) that can be integrated into a catheter or a guidewire (5). The cable (100) comprises at least one pair (120, 130) of differential wires (D1+, D1?, D2+, D2?) that are, during operation, supplied with opposite voltages, thus defining a voltage-neutral plane (VNP) between them. Moreover, the cable (100) comprises at least one set (140) of single-ended wires (S11, S12; S21, S22; S31, S32) that is arranged symmetrically with respect to said voltage-neutral plane (VNP). Optionally a core wire (110) may be used for providing mechanical stability and additional electrical functionality. Electromagnetic disturbances from the differential wires to the single-ended wires (and vice versa) are minimized due to the particular arrangement of wires.

Abstract: A large aperture CMUT transducer array is formed of a plurality of adjacently located tiles of CMUT cells. The adjacent edges of the tiles are formed by an anisotropic etch process, preferably a deep reactive ion etching process which is capable of cutting through the die and its substrate while maintaining vertical edges in close proximity to the CMUT cells at the edge of the tile. This enables the CMUT cells of continuous rows or columns to exhibit a constant pitch over multiple CMUT cell tiles. The tiles also contain interconnect electrodes along an edge for making electrical connections to the tiles with flex circuit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound transducer assembly (10), in particular for intravascular ultrasound systems. The ultrasound transducer assembly comprises at least one silicon substrate element (30) including an ultrasound transducer element (14) for emitting and receiving ultrasound waves and including electrical connectors for electrically connecting the transducer element. The substrate element has a top surface (44), a bottom surface (46) and a side surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface. An isolation layer (32, 50) forms the side surface for electrically isolating the substrate element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area (Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15). The cell (10) further comprises a stress layer (17) on the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) having a predetermined stress value with respect to the membrane (14), the stress layer (17) being adapted to provide a bending moment on the membrane (14) in a direction towards the substrate (12) such that the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) is collapsed to the substrate (12). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).

Abstract: A detector tile and a detector panel arrangement for providing a seamless detector surface with a continuous pixel array and with a reduced gap appearance includes a detector tile having a flat primary substrate and a surface layer with a circuitry arrangement. The surface layer is arranged on a front side of the primary substrate covering the primary substrate. The circuitry arrangement includes detector pixels providing a pixel array, where a connection opening is provided in the surface layer and the flat primary substrate at least at one edge of the detector tile. The connection opening is leading from the surface layer to the rear of the substrate for guiding electrical connection elements between the front side and a rear of the detector tiles. The connection openings on opposing edges of the detector tile alternate, and the connection openings on adjacent edges of detector tiles alternate.

Abstract: A beam combiner is disclosed that comprises a planar lightwave circuit that is based on undoped silicon nitride-based surface waveguides, wherein the planar lightwave circuit comprises a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port, and wherein the mixing region comprises a plurality of directional couplers that are arranged in a tree structure. Embodiments of the present invention are capable of combining a plurality of light signals characterized by disparate wavelengths on irregular spacings with low loss. Further, the present invention enables high-volume, low cost production of beam combiners capable of combining three or more light signals into a single composite output beam.

Abstract: A flow cytometry system having a flow channel defined through the thickness of a substrate is disclosed. Fluid flowing through the flow channel is illuminated by a first plurality of surface waveguides that are arranged around the flow channel in a first plane, while a second plurality of surface waveguides arranged around the flow channel in a second plane receive light after it has interacted with the fluid. The illumination pattern provided to the fluid is controlled by controlling the phase of the light in the first plurality of surface waveguides. As a result, the fluid is illuminated with light that is uniform and has a low coefficient of variation, improving the ability to distinguish and quantify characteristics of the fluid, such as cell count, DNA content, and the like.

Abstract: A flow cytometry system having a flow channel defined through the thickness of a substrate is disclosed. Fluid flowing through the flow channel is illuminated by a first plurality of surface waveguides that are arranged around the flow channel in a first plane, while a second plurality of surface waveguides arranged around the flow channel in a second plane receive light after it has interacted with the fluid. The illumination pattern provided to the fluid is controlled by controlling the phase of the light in the first plurality of surface waveguides. As a result, the fluid is illuminated with light that is uniform and has a low coefficient of variation, improving the ability to distinguish and quantify characteristics of the fluid, such as cell count, DNA content, and the like.

Abstract: An integrated circuit array, in particular for two dimensional sensor arrays such as ultrasound imaging systems is disclosed. The integrated circuit array (10) comprises a plurality of integrated circuit elements (12) each formed in a substrate (14), wherein the substrates are separated from each other. The array comprises a flexible and/or stretchable connection layer (22) connected to the integrated circuit elements for flexibly connecting the integrated circuit elements to each other. The array further comprises a plurality of electrical interconnects (18) for electrically connecting the integrated circuit elements to each other, wherein the electrical interconnects are formed as metal lines in one piece with integrated interconnects of the integrated circuit elements.

Abstract: A scanning projector suitable for projecting an image comprising a plurality of wavelength signals (i.e., light signals having different wavelengths) is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of surface waveguides arranged in define a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port. Different wavelength signals received at the input ports are combined into a composite output beam that is scanned over a region. The projector (1) scans a first wavelength signal over a plurality of image points in the region, (2) detects an amount of the first wavelength signal reflected from each image point, whose reflectivity at the first wavelength is based on a measurand, and (3) projects an image onto the region using a second wavelength signal, where the image is based on the reflected first wavelength signal at each of the image points.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasound transducer assembly (10), in particular for intra vascular ultrasound systems. The assembly (10) comprises a transducer array (12) including a plurality of transducer elements (14) for transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves. Two support elements (16, 18) are provided for supporting the transducer array (12) in a curved or polygonal shape. The support elements (16, 18) are connected via a flexible connection layer (20) to the transducer array (12) for flexibly connecting the support elements (16, 18) to the transducer array (12).

Abstract: A flow cytometry system having a flow channel defined through the thickness of a substrate is disclosed. Fluid flowing through the flow channel is illuminated by a first plurality of surface waveguides that are arranged around the flow channel in a first plane, while a second plurality of surface waveguides arranged around the flow channel in a second plane receive light after it has interacted with the fluid. The illumination pattern provided to the fluid is controlled by controlling the phase of the light in the first plurality of surface waveguides. As a result, the fluid is illuminated with light that is uniform and has a low coefficient of variation, improving the ability to distinguish and quantify characteristics of the fluid, such as cell count, DNA content, and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a through-wafer via device (10) comprising a wafer (12) made of a wafer material and having a first wafer surface (12a) and a second wafer surface (12b) opposing the first wafer surface (12a). The through-wafer via device (10) further comprises a plurality of side by side first trenches (14) provided with a conductive material and extending from the first wafer surface (12a) into the wafer (12) such that a plurality of spacers (16) of the wafer material are formed between the first trenches (14). The through-wafer via device (10) further comprises a second trench (18) provided with the conductive material and extending from the second wafer surface (12b) into the wafer (12), the second trench (18) being connected to the first trenches (14).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a minimally invasive medical instrument (100) having a proximal end (100b) and a distal end (100a) and comprising a sensor arrangement (10) arranged at the distal end (100b) of the medical instrument (100). The sensor arrangement (10) comprises a sensor (20) configured to generate sensor data in the form of an electrical sensor signal, and a data conversion device (40) configured to convert the electrical sensor signal into an optical signal and comprising an electrical input (41) for receiving the electrical sensor signal and an optical output (42) for transmitting the optical signal. The sensor arrangement (10) further comprises an optical fiber (50) configured to transmit the optical signal from the distal end (100a) to the proximal end (100b), the optical fiber (50) coupled to the output of the data conversion device (40) for receiving the optical signal, the optical fiber (50) extending from the distal end (100a) to the proximal end (100b) of the instrument (100).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10) comprising a substrate (12), and a membrane (14) disposed above a total membrane area ((Atotal), wherein a cavity (20) is formed between the membrane (14) and the substrate (12), the membrane (14) comprising a hole (15) and an edge portion (14a) surrounding the hole (15), the edge portion (14a) of the membrane (14) being collapsed to the substrate (12). The cell further comprises a plug (30) arranged in the hole (15) of the membrane (14), the plug (30) being located only in a subarea (Asub) of the total membrane area (Atotal). The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such pre-collapsed capacitive micro-machined transducer cell (10).

Abstract: A thermal flow sensor integrated circuit for sensing flow in a channel based on temperature measurements, the integrated circuit having a temperature sensing element (30) on a front side of the integrated circuit arranged to face the channel, and a bond pad (60, 200) coupled electrically to the temperature sensing element, for making electrical contact off the integrated circuit, the bond pad being arranged to face away from the channel. By having the bond pad facing away from the channel, the space needed for the bond pad and any connections to it need not extend beyond the temperature sensing element and get in the way of the channel. Hence the temperature sensing element can be located closer to the channel or in the channel to enable measurements with better response time and sensitivity.

Abstract: A scanning projector suitable for projecting an image comprising a plurality of wavelength signals (i.e., light signals having different wavelengths) is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of surface waveguides arranged in define a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port. Different wavelength signals received at the input ports are combined into a composite output beam that is scanned over a region. The projector (1) scans a first wavelength signal over a plurality of image points in the region, (2) detects an amount of the first wavelength signal reflected from each image point, whose reflectivity at the first wavelength is based on a measurand, and (3) projects an image onto the region using a second wavelength signal, where the image is based on the reflected first wavelength signal at each of the image points.

Abstract: Sensor guide wire for intravascular measurements of physiological variables in a living body or of external signals, which sensor guide wire has a proximal region, a distal sensor region and a tip region, the sensor guide wire comprises a core wire having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sensor guide wire, and a sensor element arranged in the distal sensor region, the sensor element has a sensitive portion for measuring the physiological variable and to generate a sensor signal in response to said variable. The sensor element has an essentially planar main surface and has its maximal extension in the plane of the main surface, and a thickness perpendicular to the plane of the main surface, wherein the sensor element is arranged in an essentially perpendicular relation to said core wire with regard to the planar main surface of the sensor element.

Abstract: A scanning projector for projecting an image comprising a plurality of wavelength signals (i.e., light signals having different wavelengths) is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a beam combiner comprising a planar lightwave circuit that includes a plurality of surface waveguides arranged to define a plurality of input ports, a mixing region, and an output port. Different wavelength signals received at the input ports are combined into a composite output beam that is scanned over a region. The projector (1) scans a first wavelength signal over a plurality of image points in the region, (2) detects an amount of the first wavelength signal reflected from each image point, whose reflectivity at the first wavelength is based on a measure and, and (3) projects an image onto the region using a second wavelength signal, where the image is based on the reflected first wavelength signal at each of the image points.