Abstract: The invention relates to the fabrication of optical microsystems for miniature cameras or miniature matrix displays. It is proposed that N dot matrix arrays and associated circuits should be collectively fabricated, on the front of a semiconductor wafer, to produce N identical chips, with on the side of each array, external connection lands; a plate, used to collectively form N identical optical image-forming structures, each optical image-forming structure covering a respective chip and being designed to form an overall image corresponding with the whole of the matrix array of the respective chip, is fabricated collectively and placed in close contact with the front of the semiconductor wafer; through the thickness of the wafer, conductive vias extending to the contact lands are opened, and, only after these various operations, the wafer is divided into N individual optical microsystems comprising an electronic chip covered by an optical structure.

Abstract: The invention relates to a blocking sampler intended in particular to be used upstream of a fast analog digital converter. The blocking sampler comprises two main semi-samplers each having a respective differential input (E, E?) and a respective differential output (S, S?). With each main semi-sampler is associated a respective auxiliary blocking semi-sampler comprising an auxiliary tracking transistor (T1a, T1a?) powered by a voltage tapped off from the terminals of the storage capacitor (C?, C) of the other main blocking sampler, an auxiliary storage capacitor (Ca, Ca?) linked to the output of this auxiliary tracking transistor and an auxiliary current switch (T2a, T3a, SC1a; T2?a, T3?a, SC1a?) controlled in synchronism with the current switch of the main blocking sampler so as to authorize or block the passage of current in the auxiliary tracking transistor. The auxiliary samplers serve to improve the sampling dynamics in the cases where the signal to be sampled varies rapidly.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process and to a device for positioning an optical component between two optical fibers furnished at their end with lenses comprising: drilling a support in such a way as to fix therein a capillary tube whose inside diameter is designed to slip an optical fiber thereinto, fixing the capillary tube in the drilling of the support, making a blind cut of the support and of the capillary tube, in such a way as to separate the capillary tube into two parts, a first plane face of the cut being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube, positioning the component on the first plane face, positioning an optical fiber in each of the parts. The device comprises a support through which is fixed a capillary tube, the support comprising a cut so as to separate the capillary tube into two parts. The cut comprises a first plane face perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube. The component is positioned on the first plane face.

Abstract: The invention relates to tunable wavelength-selective optical filters for letting light of a narrow optical spectrum band, centered around an adjustable wavelength, to pass through and to stop wavelengths lying outside this band. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for the collective fabrication of optical filtering components, consisting in producing a plurality of optical filtering components on a transparent substrate. The process further comprises covering the plurality of components with a transparent collective cover, in optically testing each component individually, and in separating the various components from one another. The invention also relates to a wafer of components, comprising a transparent substrate on which a plurality of optical filtering components has been produced, a transparent cover (8) collectively covering the components. The wafer further includes means for individually testing each component.

Abstract: The invention relates to person authentication systems. The invention proposes incorporating on a chip card intended to be used in a conventional card reader a sensor for spectral information relating to the skin of the person holding the chip card between his thumb and index finger. Spectral recognition uses light-emitting diodes and photodiodes mounted on a flexible substrate comprising interconnecting tracks between the light-emitting diodes and photodiodes on the one hand, and a processor contained in the chip of the chip card on the other hand.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fingerprint sensor device. The device comprises a sensor having a sensitive active region that is electrically connected to a substrate. The device further includes a first resin bump positioned proximate to the sensitive active region. The first resin bump forms a finger guide that positions the finger over the sensitive active region when the finger slides in contact with the first resin bump.

Abstract: The invention relates to fast analogue-to-digital converters having differential inputs and a parallel structure, comprising at least one network of N series resistors with value r and one network of N comparators. The series resistor network receives a reference voltage and is traversed by a fixed current Io and the row i (i varying from 1 to N) comparator essentially comprises a dual differential amplifier with four inputs; two inputs receive a differential voltage VS?VN to be converted, a third being connected to a row i resistor of the network, and a fourth input being connected to an N-i row resistor of the network. The resistor network is supplied by a variable reference voltage originating from a servoloop circuit which locks the voltage level of the middle of the resistor network at a voltage equal to the common mode voltage (VS?VSN)/2 present at the output of the sample-and-hold module.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention related to fingerprint sensors is described. The sensor comprises an integrated-circuit chip having a sensitive surface, a substrate provided with electrical connections and wire-bonding wires connecting the chip to the electrical connections. The sensor further includes a molded protective resin at least partly covering the substrate and the chip and completely encapsulating the wire-bonding wires. The resin forms, on at least one side of the chip and at most three sides, a bump rising to at least 500 microns above the sensitive surface, this bump encapsulating the wire-bonding wires and constituting a guide for a finger, the fingerprint of which it is desired to detect.

Abstract: The invention relates to wavelength-selective and tunable optical filters for transmitting the light in a narrow optical spectral band, centered around an adjustable wavelength, and for blocking the transmission of wavelengths lying outside of this band. In a micromachined monolithic structure containing the optical filter proper, the component comprises a low-absorption light detection element used for slaving the tuning control of the filter to a wavelength received by the filter, this element transmitting the majority of the radiation at this wavelength. The filter is a Fabry-Pérot interferometric filter, the cavity (C) of which is tuned to a value that maximizes the power detected by the light detection element. The filter is preferably based on layers of indium phosphide and air gaps. The detection element preferably comprises a layer of gallium-indium arsenide 74 suitable for detection of the intended wavelength band.

Abstract: The invention relates to very small-sized color image sensors. The sensor according to the invention is made by the following method: the formation, on the front face of the semiconductive wafer (10), of a series of active zones (ZA) comprising image detection circuits and each corresponding to a respective image sensor, each active zone comprising photosensitive zones (12) covered with conductive and insulating layers (14, 16) enabling the collection of electrical charges generated in the photosensitive zones, the transfer of the wafer (10) by its front face against the front face of a supporting substrate (20), the elimination of the major part of the thickness of the semiconductive wafer, leaving a very fine semiconductive layer (30) on the substrate, this fine semiconductive layer comprising the photosensitive zones, the deposition and etching of color filters (18) on the semiconductive layer thus thinned.

Abstract: The invention relates to liquid crystal matrix micro displays, and in particular those which are embodied on a monolithic silicon substrate in which are integrated the electronic circuits for control of a matrix array of liquid crystal cells. The matrix comprises, for each dot at the crossover of a row and of a column, an elementary electronic circuit for controlling an elementary liquid crystal cell situated at this crossover. This circuit comprises at least one storage capacitor for storing for the duration of an image frame an analogue voltage applied by the column, a first terminal of the storage capacitor being linked to the gate of the transistor, and, in series between two voltage supply terminals, an elementary current source and a switching transistor, the drain of the switching transistor being linked to the liquid crystal cell. A periodic voltage ramp, common to all the cells of at least one row, is applied to a second terminal of the storage capacitor of the cells of this row.

Abstract: The invention relates to large-dimension linear image sensors operating by relative translation between the image and the sensor and consisting of a plurality of linear arrays abutting in a staggered fashion. In order to improve the design of the sensor, according to the invention the arrays are mounted on packages whose upper surface has an elongate rectangular shape provided on two opposite sides of the rectangle with two extensions substantially covered by the ends of the array, two adjacent packages bearing against each other along a respective extension of each of them. The staggered arrangement prevents the blind zones, photosensitive points being present in the extensions, and the offset between the two rows of staggered chips is practically no greater than the width of the chips.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the fabrication of image sensors and especially to color image sensors. The image sensor includes a region in which there is a photosensitive matrix onto which the image to be converted into electronic signals is projected and an outer region comprising peripheral electronic circuits for driving the matrix or for processing the image signals. After formation on a substrate of a stack of conducting layers and insulating layers serving for the production of the matrix of the peripheral circuits, a substantial thickness of insulation is removed only in the region of the matrix before a mosaic of color filters is deposited so as to reduce the height of the filters relative to the photosensitive regions.

Abstract: The invention relates to the recognition of digital finger prints, more particularly to recognition by an elongate bar of sensors able to detect crests and valleys of finger prints when a finger is passed in a relative manner in front of a sensor in an essentially parallel manner in relation to the direction of elongation of said bar. The inventive method comprises the following operations: successive partially overlapping images are acquired under the control of a processor; displacement of the first image in relation to a second image is examined in order to provide a better correlation between the two images; said displacement component is determined in terms of pixels in a perpendicular direction with respect to the elongate sensor; the displacement component is compared to at least one threshold; according to the result of the comparison, a delay T imposed by the processor before the acquisition of a following image is preserved, or increased or decreased by a time increment dT.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrated circuit amplifier designed to supply an amplified signal at a power of a few hundreds of milliwatts at frequencies from one to several Gigahertz.

Abstract: The invention relates to wavelength-selective optical filters for allowing light of a narrow optical spectral band, centered around a wavelength (?c) to pass through them, while reflecting the wavelengths lying outside this band. According to the invention, the transfer function (T1,2(?)) of the component is defined by multiplying two transfer functions of spectrally offset Fabry-Perot filters.

Abstract: The invention concerns an integrated circuit amplifier designed to supply an amplified signal at a power of a few hundreds of milliwatts at frequencies from one to several Gigahertz.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process and to a device for positioning an optical component between two optical fibers furnished at their end with lenses comprising: drilling a support in such a way as to fix therein a capillary tube whose inside diameter is designed to slip an optical fiber thereinto, fixing the capillary tube in the drilling of the support, making a blind cut and of the capillary tube, in such a way as to separate the capillary tube into two parts, a first plane face of the cut being perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube, positioning the component on the first plane face, positioning an optical fiber in each of the parts. The device comprises a support through which is fixed a capillary tube, the support comprising a cut so as to separate the capillary tube into two parts. The cut comprises a first plane face perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the capillary tube. The component is positioned on the first plane face.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making an integrated circuit (40) of the surface-mount type the comprising, first of all, manufacture of a package having a rear face and a pin grid array extending under this rear face perpendicular thereto, and a ball (44) of low melting point alloy is then formed at the end of each pin surrounding this end and soldered thereto. The invention also relates to an integrated circuit (40) of the surface-mount type, comprising a package having a rear face and a pin grid array, of a cross section roughly constant along the pin (42), extending under the rear face perpendicular thereto. A ball (44) of low melting point alloy is soldered to the end of each pin (42) surrounding this end.

Abstract: The invention relates to the making of color image sensors for miniature cameras. The method of fabrication includes the formation on the front face of a semi-conductive wafer of a series of active zones comprising image detection circuits, each corresponding to a respective image sensor. Each active zone is surrounded by input/output pads. The wafer is transferred by its front fact against the front face of a supporting substrate. The major part of the thickness of the semiconductor wafer is eliminated, leaving a very fine semi-conductive layer including the image detection circuits on the substrate. This method is characterized in that firstly, layers of color filters are deposited and then etched on the semi-conductive layer thus thinned.