Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement (10) comprises a light sensor (11), a current source (41), an analog-to-digital converter (12) and a switch (44) which selectively couples the light sensor (11) or the current source (41) to an input (14) of the analog-to-digital converter (12).

Abstract: An opening (17) is etched from a main surface (10) of a substrate (1) of semiconductor material by deep reactive ion etching comprising a plurality of cycles, each of the cycles including a deposition of a passivation in the opening and an application of an etchant. An additional etching is performed between two consecutive cycles by an application of a further etchant that is different from the etchant. The passivation layer (9) is thus etched above a sidewall (7) of the opening to remove undesired protrusions.

Abstract: A driver arrangement (10) comprises a digital controller (11) that is configured to receive a digital input signal (SDI) and a driver (12) that comprises a driver input (14) and a driver output (15) and is configured to provide an analog output signal (SANO) at the driver output (15). The driver arrangement (10) comprises a coupling circuit (13) that comprises a digital-to-analog converter (19) and a feedback circuit (24). The digital-to-analog converter (19) comprises a converter input (20) coupled to the digital controller (11) and a converter output (21) coupled to the driver input (14). The feedback circuit (24) is coupled to the driver output (15) and to a feedback input (17) of the digital controller (11).

Abstract: A converter arrangement, in particular a switched DC/DC converter arrangement, comprises a control die and a converter die. The control die comprises a control logic for generating a control signal and a control output for controlling the converter die by means of the control signal. The converter die comprises at least one converter that is designed for converting an input signal into an output signal in dependence on the control signal, wherein the control signal can be received at a control input. A single-line interface connects the control output to the control input.

Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement comprises an emitting device (E) and a detection device (D) configured to emit and detect, respectively, electromagnetic radiation and a cover (C) arranged to cover the emitting and the detection device (E, D). The sensor arrangement comprises a first cover layer (C1) partially covering an inner surface of the cover (C) and having a first and a second opening located above the emitting and the detection device (E, D), respectively. The sensor arrangement comprises a second and a third cover layer (C2, C3) covering the inner surface at areas of the first and the second opening. A reflection and/or an absorption characteristics of at least one of the second and third cover layer (C2, C3) is adapted to a reflection and/or an absorption characteristics of the first cover layer (C1) for incident light within the specified spectrum.

Abstract: A Hall sensor (HS) comprises at least four sensor terminals (EXT_A, EXT_B, EXT_C, EXT_D) for connecting the Hall sensor (HS) in at least two Hall sensing elements (11, 12, . . . , 44) connected together, element terminals (A, B, C, D) of the Hall sensing elements (11, 12, . . . , 44) are connected in between the sensor terminals (EXT_A, EXT_B, EXT_C, EXT_D). Each of the Hall sensing elements (11, 12, . . . , 44) is configured to provide an individual sensor value between two of its element terminals (A, B, C, D). The at least two Hall sensing elements (11, 12, . . . , 44) are distributed basically equally into two halves (B1, B2) and are connected such that a difference value is electrically formed between two of the sensor terminals (EXT_A, EXT_B, EXT_C, EXT_D) resulting from the respective individual sensor values.

Abstract: An optical sensor arrangement (10) comprises at least two light sensors (35, 36) for providing at least two sensor signals (S1, S2), and an evaluation circuit (12) that comprises an input (16) coupled to the at least two light sensors (35, 36) and is designed to evaluate the at least two sensor signals (S1, S2) for gesture detection in an adaptive manner using previous values of the at least two sensor signals (S1, S2).

Abstract: A light sensor arrangement according to the proposed principle comprises at least one first unshielded well (D0) and at least one second shielded well (D1) in a substrate (P). The at least one first unshielded well (D0) is being exposed to incident light (?) and configured to generate a first sensor signal (Ch0) as a function of the incident light (?). The at least one second shielded well (D1) in the substrate (p) being shielded from the incident light (?) and configured to generate a second sensor signal (Ch1) as a function of the incident light (?). The light sensor arrangement further comprises means for temperature compensation providing the first and second sensor signals (Ch0, Ch1) as temperature compensated sensor signals as a function of substrate temperature. Means to determine spectral content of the incident light (?) are provided to determine the spectral content as a function of the temperature compensated first and second sensor signals (Ch0, Ch1).

Abstract: The method comprises providing a semiconductor substrate, which has a main surface and an opposite further main surface, arranging a contact pad above the further main surface, forming a through-substrate via from the main surface to the further main surface at a distance from the contact pad and, by the same method step together with the through-substrate via, forming a further through-substrate via above the contact pad, arranging a hollow metal via layer in the through-substrate via and, by the same method step together with the metal via layer, arranging a further metal via layer in the further through-substrate via, the further metal via layer contacting the contact pad, and removing a bottom portion of the metal via layer to form an optical via laterally surrounded by the metal via layer.

Abstract: According to the improved concept, a method for analyzing a semiconductor element comprising polymer residues located on a surface of the semiconductor element is provided. The method comprises marking at least a fraction of the residues by exposing the semiconductor element to a fluorescent substance and detecting the marked residues by visualizing the marked residues on the surface of the semiconductor element using fluorescence microscopy.

Abstract: An amplifier circuit with a differential input and a differential output comprises a first and a second pair of matched transistors having a first threshold voltage and comprising control terminals connected to the differential input. A first and a second pair of triplets of transistors having a second threshold voltage being different from the first threshold voltage is connected to each one of the pairs of matched transistors such that respective current paths are formed with these transistors. The currents are split up to bias current sources and to an output stage such that the current is reused for implementing a class AB operation. Furthermore, a current through bias transistors connected in the current path of the first and the second pair of matched transistors is mirrored to output transistors being arranged in a differential current path of the output stage.

Abstract: A detection circuit (1) comprises a first and a second contact terminal (P1, P2) for connecting a microphone (HM) with a defined polarity. Furthermore, a first and a second switch (S1, S2) are provided and respectively connect the first and the second contact terminal (P1, P2) to a reference potential terminal (GND). A supply terminal (SUP) for supplying an input signal is either connected to the first contact terminal (P1) or to the second contact terminal (P2) via a third switch (S3). A measuring device (MS) for acquiring a measurement signal in response to the supplied input signal is coupled to a connection between the supply terminal (SUP) and the third switch (S3).

Abstract: An avalanche diode arrangement (10) comprises an avalanche diode (11) that is coupled to a first voltage terminal (16) and to a first node (13), an event detector (14) for detecting a trigger event of the avalanche diode (11) and being coupled to the first node (13), a quenching circuit (15) that is coupled to the first node (13), and a detection circuit (20) coupled to the first node (13). The detection circuit (20) is configured to provide a detection signal (SVC2) that depends on a value of a node voltage (SVA) at the first node (13).

Abstract: A trench (20) is introduced into a carrier (10) for electrical components (30) on a first surface (O10a) of the carrier into the material of the carrier (10). The carrier (10) is cut through by a cut (60) being introduced into the material of the carrier from a second surface (O10b) of the carrier (10), said second surface being situated opposite the first surface. The cut is implemented in such a way that the cut (60) runs through the trench (20) on the first surface (O10a) of the carrier. By providing a trench (20) in the material layers of the carrier (10) which are near the surface, it is possible to prevent material from breaking out of the carrier during the singulation of devices (1, 2).

Abstract: A lighting control system (LCS) for generating supply currents for at least two LED channels (CH1, CH2, CHn) comprises at least two controlled current sources for generating a supply current for a corresponding LED channel based on a corresponding control signal. The system further comprises at least two signal combiners for generating the corresponding control signals based on a synchronization signal (VSYNC) that comprises periodic starting pulses and on a combination of a magnitude dimming signal and a pulse dimming signal corresponding to one of the LED channels. The signal combiners are designed such that changes of the respective control signals come into effect only with a respective time offset with respect to one of the starting pulses of the synchronization signal.

Abstract: The method comprises implanting a deep well of a first type of electrical conductivity provided for a drift region in a substrate of semiconductor material, the deep well of the first type comprising a periphery, implanting a deep well or a plurality of deep wells of a second type of electrical conductivity opposite to the first type of electrical conductivity at the periphery of the deep well of the first type, implanting shallow wells of the first type of electrical conductivity at the periphery of the deep well of the first type, the shallow wells of the first type extending into the deep well of the first type; and implanting shallow wells of the second type of electrical conductivity adjacent to the deep well of the first type between the shallow wells of the first type of electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A position sensor device to determine a position of a moving device comprises a detection unit to detect a signal generated by the moving device and an evaluation unit to determine a first position (?0(t1)) specifying the position of the moving device at a first time (t1). An error distance determination unit determines a velocity of the movement of the moving device and at least one error distance (?err1, ?err2, ?err3) specifying a distance by which the moving device moves on between the first time (t1) and a second time (t2) in dependence on the velocity and a propagation delay time (Tpd). A position correction unit is configured to determine a corrected position (?corr) in dependence on the at least one error distance (?err1, ?err2, ?err3) and the first position (?0(t1)).

Abstract: A sensor amplifier arrangement includes an amplifier having a signal input to receive a sensor signal and a signal output to provide an amplified sensor signal, and a feedback path that couples the signal output to the signal input and provides a feedback current that is an attenuated signal of the amplified sensor signal and is inverted with respect to the sensor signal.

Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate (1), a sensor or sensor array (2) arranged at a main surface (10) of the substrate, an integrated circuit (3) arranged at or above the main surface, and a focusing element (17) comprising recesses (4) formed within a further main surface (11) of the substrate opposite the main surface. The focusing element may be arranged opposite the sensor or sensor array (2), which may be a photosensor or photodetector or an array of photosensors or photodetectors, for instance. The focusing element (17) is formed by etching the recesses (4) into the semiconductor material.

Abstract: The presented principles relate to an optical reader device, to a tag for use on a disposable or replaceable component, to an optical data validation system and to a method for optical data validation. The optical reader device comprises a sensor unit and a signal processing unit. In particular, the sensor unit comprises a light source and an optical sensor arrangement. The light source comprises at least one light emitting component and is arranged for emitting light. The optical sensor arrangement is arranged for generating a first sensor signal indicative of light emitted from the light source and reflected back from a code marking of a tag to be placed in front of the light source in a determined distance. The optical sensor is further arranged for generating a second sensor signal indicative of light emitted by a photo-responsive taggant of the tag after being excited by the light emitted from the light source.