Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor body, an electrically conductive via which extends through at least a part of the semiconductor body, and where the via has a top side and a bottom side that faces away from the top side, an electrically conductive etch-stop layer arranged at the bottom side of the via in a plane which is parallel to a lateral direction, where the lateral direction is perpendicular to a vertical direction given by the main axis of extension of the via, and at least one electrically conductive contact layer at the bottom side of the via in a plane which is parallel to the lateral direction. The etch-stop layer is arranged between the electrically conductive via and the contact layer in the vertical direction, the lateral extent in the lateral direction of the etch-stop layer amounts to at least 2.

Abstract: A directional photodetector comprises a photosensitive element and a light selector. The photosensitive element comprises a single-photon avalanche diode, SPAD, or an array of SPADs or SPAD array. The light selector is arranged on or above the photosensitive element, in particular on or above an active surface of the photosensitive element. The light selector is configured to restrict a field of view of the photosensitive element at least for light with a wavelength within a specified wavelength range. The light selector is configured to restrict the field of view by predominantly passing light with a direction of incidence within a range of passing directions of the light selector.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a semiconductor body, forming a trench in the semiconductor body in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the semiconductor body, and coating inner walls of the trench with an isolation layer. The method further comprises the steps of coating the isolation layer at the inner walls with a metallization layer, coating a top side of the semiconductor body, at which the trench is formed, at least partially with an electrically conductive contact layer, where the contact layer is electrically connected with the metallization layer, coating the top side of the semiconductor body at least partially and the trench with a capping layer, and forming a contact pad at the top side of the semiconductor body by removing the contact layer and the capping layer at least partially. Furthermore, a semiconductor device is provided.

Abstract: The SPAD device comprises a single-photon avalanche diode and a further single-photon avalanche diode having breakdown voltages, the single-photon avalanche diodes being integrated in the same device. The breakdown voltages are equal or differ by less than 10%. The single-photon avalanche diode is configured to enable to induce triggering or to have a dark count rate that is higher than the dark count rate of the further single-photon avalanche diode.

Abstract: A circuit arrangement for an optical monitoring system comprises a driver circuit which is configured to generate at least one driving signal for driving the light source. A detector terminal is arranged for receiving a detector current from an optical detector. A gain stage is connected at its input side to the driver circuit for receiving the driving signal and generates a noise signal depending on the driving signal. A processing unit is configured to generate an output signal depending on the detector current and the noise signal.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement comprises an integrator with an integrator input, a sensor coupled to the integrator input, a balancing current generator coupled to the integrator input and a compensation current generator coupled to the integrator input.

Abstract: The near-infrared photodetector semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor layer (1) of a first type of conductivity with a main surface (10), a trench or a plurality of trenches (2) in the semiconductor layer at the main surface, a SiGe alloy layer (3) in the trench or the plurality of trenches, and an electrically conductive filling material of a second type of conductivity in the trench or the plurality of trenches, the second type of conductivity being opposite to the first type of conductivity.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit arrangement includes a multitude of capacitors of a first and a second group controlled by non-overlapping clock pulses. The capacitors are partly realized in a semiconductor substrate including a deep well doping region and a high voltage doping region surrounded by the deep well doping region. Switches are connected to a pair of capacitors to control the deep well doping regions with signals in phase with the corresponding clock signal.

Abstract: A sensor arrangement for light sensing for light-to-frequency conversion. The sensor arrangement includes a photodiode, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) operable to perform a chopping technique in response to a first clock signal (CLK1), and convert a photocurrent (IPD) into a digital comparator output signal (LOUT). The ADC includes a sensor input coupled to the photodiode, an output for providing the digital comparator output signal (LOUT), an integrator including an integrator input coupled to the sensor input and operable to receive an integrator input signal, a first set of chopping switches coupled to a first amplifier, a second set of chopping switches electrically coupled to an output of the first amplifier and electrically coupled to input terminals of a second amplifier, and an integrator output providing an integrator output signal (OPOUT).

Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a bipolar transistor with emitter, base and collector, a current or voltage source electrically connected with the emitter, and a quenching component electrically connected with the collector, the bipolar transistor being configured for operation at a collector-to-base voltage above the breakdown voltage.

Abstract: A noise cancellation enabled audio device, in particular a headphone, comprises a speaker which is arranged within the audio device and which has a preferential side for sound emission. The audio device further comprises a first cavity enclosing a first volume of air, where the first cavity is arranged at the preferential side for sound emission of the speaker, and an error microphone which is arranged within a second cavity within the audio device. The first cavity comprises a first opening to the outside of the audio device and the second cavity comprises a second opening to the outside of the audio device. The first and the second opening are both arranged on a side of the audio device which is arranged to face an ear canal of a user. Furthermore, a noise cancellation system is provided.

Abstract: In a signal processing arrangement a first and a second input signal associated with the rotating object are received at signal inputs. Amplitude processing blocks are connected to the signal inputs and each have an adjustable gain. A trigonometric processing block has inputs coupled to outputs of the second amplitude processing blocks via respective signal paths. The trigonometric processing block is configured to determine a magnitude value and a phase value based on signals at its inputs. The signal processing arrangement further has compensation blocks configured to store values at the inputs of the trigonometric processing block as respective peak values, when the phase value assumes a respective phase value. A gain value is determined by applying a respective regulation function to respective amplitude errors being based on the peal values, and the gains of the amplitude processing blocks are adjusted based on the respective gain values.

Abstract: A proximity sensor (1) with crosstalk compensation comprises a transmitting circuit (10) to transmit a signal to be reflected at a target (2) and a disturbing object (3), and a receiving circuit (20) to receive a reflected signal (RS) having a useful component (RSI) and a noise component (RS2). The receiving circuit (20) comprises an output node (A20) to provide an output signal (Vout2) in dependence from the distance of the proximity sensor (1) from the target (2). The receiving circuit (20) comprises a crosstalk compensation circuit (100) comprising a first charging circuit (110) to provide a first charge for for coarse crosstalk compensation and a second charging circuit (120) to provide a second charge for fine crosstalk compensation. A control circuit (30) sets an amount of the first and the second charge so that the output signal (Vout2) of the crosstalk compensation circuit (100) is dependent on the useful component (RSI) and independent on the noise component (RS2) of the reflected signal (RS).

Abstract: A driving circuit (10) to generate a signal pulse for operating a light-emitting diode (20) comprises an external terminal (LEDK, LEDA) to connect the light-emitting diode (20) to the driving circuit (10). In a first operating state/pre-charge state of the driving circuit (10), a first controllable switching circuit (100) connects a first side (301) of a capacitor (300) to a reference potential (Vref) and a second controllable switch (200) connects a second side (302) of the capacitor (300) to one of a supply and ground potential (VDD, VSS). In a second operating state of the driving circuit (10), the first controllable switching circuit (100) connects the first side (301) of the capacitor (300) to said one of the supply and ground potential (VDD, VSS) and the second controllable switch (200) connects the second side (302) of the capacitor (300) to the external terminal (LEDK, LEDA) to provide a signal pulse for operating the light emitting diode.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a display screen, an ambient light sensor disposed behind the display screen, and an electronic control unit. An integration time of the ambient light sensor is unsynchronized to a frame rate of the display screen. The electronic control unit is operable to control a brightness of the display screen based on a duty cycle of a PWM blanking signal, wherein at least one OFF time of the PWM blanking signal occurs fully within a first integration period of the ambient light sensor, and wherein at least one other integration period ON time of the PWM blanking signal occurs fully during an ON time of the PWM blanking signal. The electronic control unit is further operable to acquire samples of an output of the ambient light sensor, to identify a highest value and a lowest value from among a consecutive group of the samples, and to estimate a magnitude of an ambient light signal based at least in part on the highest value and the lowest value.

Abstract: A high-voltage output driver (1) for a sensor device (100) with reverse current blocking comprises a supply node (SN) to apply a supply voltage (VHV) and an output node (OP) to provide an output signal (OS) of the high-voltage output driver (1). The high-voltage output driver (1) comprises a driver transistor (MP0) being disposed between the supply node (SN) and the output node (OP). The high-voltage output driver (1) further comprises a bulk control circuit (20) to apply a bulk control voltage (Vwell) to a bulk node (BMP0) of the driver transistor (MP0), and a gate control circuit (30) to apply a gate control voltage (GCV) to the gate node (GMP0) of the driver transistor (MP0).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for current peak detection. The apparatus includes a pulse laser diode array, a sense resistor, a capacitive voltage divider (CVD) electrically coupled to the pulse laser diode array, a first current rectifier, a second current rectifier, a first current peak detector, a second current peak detector, an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) operable to convert the analog outputs from each current peak detector to a digital output signal, and a digital signal processing (DSP) unit operable to detect, from the digital output signal, a current peak pulse at the top and the bottom of the sense resistor.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical sensor is provided. The method comprises providing an optical sensor arrangement which comprises at least two optical sensor elements on a carrier, where the optical sensor arrangement comprises a light entrance surface at the side of the optical sensor elements facing away from the carrier. The method further comprises forming a trench between two optical sensor elements in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the carrier, where the trench extends from the light entrance surface of the sensor arrangement at least to the carrier. Moreover, the method comprises coating the trench with an opaque material, forming electrical contacts for the at least two optical sensor elements on a back side of the carrier facing away from the optical sensor elements, and forming at least one optical sensor by dicing the optical sensor arrangement along the trench.

Abstract: A noise cancellation filter structure for a noise cancellation enabled audio device, in particular headphone, comprises a noise input for receiving a noise signal and a filter output for providing a filter output signal. A first noise filter produces a first filter signal by filtering the noise signal and a second noise filter produces a second filter signal by filtering the noise signal. The second noise filter has a frequency response with a non-minimum-phase, in particular maximum-phase. A combiner is configured to provide the filter output signal based on a linear combination of the first filter signal and the second filter signal.

Abstract: The Schottky barrier diode comprises a semiconductor body with a main surface, a doped region and a further doped region of the semiconductor body, which extend to the main surface, the doped region and the further doped region having opposite types of electric conductivity, a subregion and a further subregion of the further doped region, the subregions being contiguous with one another, the further subregion comprising a higher doping concentration than the subregion, a silicide layer on the main surface, the silicide layer forming an interface with the doped region, an electric contact on the doped region, and a further electric contact electrically connecting the further doped region with the silicide layer.