Abstract: A temperature compensation method for wavelength monitoring using spectrometers on photonic integrated chips and a related temperature-compensated wavelength monitoring device include an optical filter of the chip filters a source signal to provide at least one spectral reference line to a first spectrometer to detect thermal wavelength drifts thereof. At least one spectral line to be monitored is received by the same or another spectrometer of the chip to detect wavelength shifts thereof. The detected thermal drift of the reference line is compared to calibrated thermal drifts for the reference line which is associated with a calibrated thermal drift for the spectral response curve of the spectrometer receiving the spectral line to be monitored. A thermal drift rate for the response curve of the optical filter differs from a thermal drift rate for the response curve of the first spectrometer at least by an amount.

Abstract: A Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) device combining a MEMS layer and a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) Integrated Circuit (IC), and its fabrication method is provided. The fabrication method includes: processing the MEMS layer on a first semiconductor substrate, the MEMS layer including one or more movable structures and one or more anchor structures; processing one or more first contacts on the first semiconductor substrate, each first contact being processed into one of the anchor structures and being configured to bias that anchor structure; processing the CMOS IC on a second semiconductor substrate; processing one or more second contacts on the second semiconductor substrate, each second contact being connected to the CMOS IC; and bonding the first semiconductor substrate to the second semiconductor substrate such that each first contact directly contacts one of the second contacts. The method can allow fabricating the MEMS device without vapor HF etching.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method for controlling an artificial iris may include receiving a measurement of light intensity detected by a sensor on or adjacent to the artificial iris. The method may include accessing a user-specific profile based on user calibration for determining one or more user-specific thresholds of light intensity of the user-specific profile. The one or more user-specific thresholds are associated with light intensities for triggering a change of light transmittance through the artificial iris. The method may include comparing the received measurement of light intensity to the one or more thresholds in the user-specific profile. The method may include determining, based on the comparing, whether to turn on or turn off one or more concentric rings of liquid crystals of the artificial iris for controlling an amount of light transmitted through the artificial iris.

Abstract: A method for improving a bias temperature instability of a SiO2 layer comprises exposing the SiO2 layer to atomic hydrogen.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for detecting photoluminescent light emitted from a sample, said apparatus (200; 300) comprising at least one light source (210; 310, 318), which is configured to emit light of a first and a second wavelength towards a sample comprising photoluminescent particles, wherein said first wavelength is an excitation wavelength for inducing photoluminescent light from said photoluminescent particles, and wherein said second wavelength is longer than said first wavelength and for gathering background noise information from said sample.

Abstract: A method includes providing a semiconductor structure including: a substrate; a layer stack with each layer of the layer stack including a Group III-nitride material; and a p-type doped GaN layer on the layer stack. The method also includes providing, on the GaN layer, a metal bi-layer including a first metal layer in contact with GaN layer and a second metal layer on the first metal layer and having a lower sheet resistance than the first metal layer. The method also includes performing a patterning process upon the metal bi-layer and the p-type doped GaN layer such that a first periphery of the first metal layer is aligned to a second periphery of the second metal layer and such that a first cross section of the metal bi-layer is smaller than a second cross section of the GaN layer parallel to the first cross section.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to counteracting semiconductor material loss during semiconductor structure formation. One embodiment includes a method for forming a semiconductor structure. The method includes providing a structure. The structure includes a substrate. The structure also includes a layer stack on the substrate. The layer stack includes at least one semiconductor layer of a semiconductor material and at least one sacrificial layer under the semiconductor layer. Further, the structure includes a trench through the layer stack. The further also includes forming a recess in the layer stack by etching a portion of the sacrificial layer exposed by the trench. The etching includes a preferential etch of the sacrificial layer with respect to the semiconductor layer. Additionally, the method includes epitaxially growing a liner of the semiconductor material onto surfaces of the semiconductor layer exposed by the trench.

Abstract: According to an aspect there is provided a method for automatic maintenance of a dialysis system. The dialysis system includes a plurality of filter sections where each filter section includes a blood flow channel, a dialysate flow channel, and a membrane separating the blood flow channel from the dialysate flow channel and having a plurality of pores through which substances are exchanged between a blood flow in the blood flow channel and a dialysate flow in the dialysate flow channel. The method includes determining, for each filter section of the plurality of filter sections, whether a maintenance criterion is fulfilled. The method also includes triggering a maintenance event for a filter section of the plurality of filter sections for which the maintenance criterion is fulfilled. The method also includes executing the maintenance event and optionally administering a thrombolytic agent to the blood flow channel of the filter section.

Abstract: A cyclic capillary electrophoresis device includes a capillary channel that forms a closed loop. The capillary channel comprises an inner half facing toward a space enclosed by the loop, where the inner half having an inner wall of first charge density, and an outer half facing away from the space enclosed by the loop, where the outer half having an inner wall surface of second charge density. A difference between the first and the second charge densities exists or can be turned on. The difference is configured to create a smaller average electroosmotic flow velocity in the inner half than in the outer half.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for etching a molybdenum feature, comprising the steps of: a) oxidizing a thickness portion of the molybdenum feature using a thermal oxidation process to form a thermal molybdenum oxide layer, and b) dissolving the thermal molybdenum oxide layer using a wet chemistry.

Abstract: A method for estimating movements of a crowd between a first and second subregion in an area are monitored by a wireless sensor network. The wireless sensor network includes nodes configured to exchange a radio frequency signal through a first respective second link. The first respective second link crosses the first respective second subregion. The method includes the steps of exchanging radio frequency signals over the first and second link; and measuring respective first and second attenuations of the exchanged radio frequency signals over the first respective second link; and estimating based on a change in the attenuations a flow of the crowd between the first and second subregion. The estimating further includes estimating based on the first and second attenuations a density of the crowd in the first respective second subregion; and estimating based thereon a flux of the crowd between the first and second subregion.

Abstract: A ferroelectric device, for instance, a metal-ferroelectric-metal (MFM) capacitor, a ferroelectric random access memory (Fe-RAM), or a ferroelectric field effect transistor (FeFET), is provided. In one aspect, the ferroelectric device is based on hafnium zirconate (HZO). The ferroelectric device can include a first electrode and a second electrode, and a doped HZO layer, which is arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode. The doped HZO layer can include a ferroelectric layer and at least two non-zero remnant polarization charge states. The doped HZO layer can be doped with at least two different elements selected from the lanthanide series, or with a combination of at least one element selected from the lanthanide series and at least one rare earth element.

Abstract: A method is provided for inspection of an item comprising acquiring a projection image of the item using a radiation imaging system and obtaining a plurality of simulated projection images of the item or a component thereof, based on a simulation of a numerical three-dimensional model. A relative orientation of the item with respect to the imaging system is determined by comparing the projection image to the plurality of simulated images, and at least one angle of rotation is determined by taking into account a viewing angle and the relative orientation. The method further comprises moving the item and/or the imaging system in accordance with the at least one angle of rotation and acquiring a further projection image of the item.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a reconditioning wafer can include a carrier substrate that supports at least one array of regularly spaced protrusions configured to form indentations in a support surface of a wafer holding stage. The protrusions within the same array can have substantially the same shape and dimensions, thereby enabling a more reliable reconditioning process compared to prior art solutions. The protrusions may have the form of pyramids or pillars or other similar shapes with at least the tip of the protrusions formed of a material suitable to make the indentations. The reconditioning wafer can be obtainable by a molding technique wherein an array of molds can be created in a mold substrate. The molds can be filled with an indentation material such as diamond, and can be bonded to the carrier substrate. The mold substrate can be removed by thinning and wet etching.

Abstract: A differentiation system for differentiating cells includes an input device configured to receive holographic image data of a microscopic particle in suspension, holographic image data processing logic for converting the holographic image data to the frequency domain by performing a Fourier transform of the holographic image data, and a recognizer configured to determine characterization features of the holographic image data of the microscopic particle in the frequency domain for characterization of the microscopic particle, the characterization features comprising rotationally invariant features.

Abstract: A device for detecting particles in air; said device comprising: a receiver for receiving a flow of air comprising particles; a particle capturing arrangement configured to transfer the particles from the flow of air to a liquid for collection of a set of particles in the liquid; a flow channel configured to pass a flow of the liquid comprising the set of particles through the flow channel; a light source configured to illuminate the set of particles in the flow channel, such that an interference pattern is formed by interference between light being scattered by the set of particles and non-scattered light from the light source; and an image sensor comprising a plurality of photo-sensitive elements configured to detect incident light, the image sensor being configured to detect the interference pattern.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, a diagnostic device including the microfluidic device and a method for making the microfluidic device are provided. The microfluidic device includes: (i) a transparent substrate comprising a cavity, the cavity opening up to a top of the transparent substrate; (ii) a transparent layer covering the cavity, and (iii) a semiconductor substrate over the transparent layer and the transparent substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate comprises a through hole overlaying the cavity and exposing the transparent layer.

Abstract: A brain interaction apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of filaments; and a brain invasive launcher having a plurality of launching channels extending in a longitudinal direction between a proximal end and a distal end thereof. Each launching channel is configured for holding one of the plurality of filaments moveably arranged therein. At least one of the plurality of filaments is provided with a steering tip affixed to a distal end thereof. The steering tip comprises a portion tapering in a longitudinal direction of the at least one of the plurality of filaments thereby narrowing toward a distal end of the steering tip. The tapered portion is rotationally asymmetrical about a longitudinal axis of the at least one of the plurality of filaments.

Abstract: A method for forming a pixelated optoelectronic stack comprises forming a stacked layer structure that comprises a bottom electrode layer, an optoelectronic layer over the bottom electrode layer, and a patterned hard-mask comprising a pattern over the optoelectronic layer. The method comprises replicating the pattern into the optoelectronic layer and the bottom electrode layer, thereby forming a first intermediate pixelated stack comprising at least two islands of stack separated from one another by stack-free areas; providing an electrically insulating layer on the first intermediate pixelated stack; removing a top portion of the electrically insulating layer and removing any remaining hard-mask so that a top surface of the electrically insulating layer is coplanar with an exposed top surface of the first intermediate pixelated stack, yielding a second intermediate pixelated stack; and forming a top transparent electrode layer over the second intermediate pixelated stack.

Abstract: A smart contact lens (400) for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light (126) intensity is provided, including one or more, preferably concentric, rings (410-1, 410-2, . . . , 410-N) of a liquid crystal display, LCD, type, each ring being operable between a state having a lower attenuation of light and a state having a higher attenuation of light; a circuit (420, 100, 101) for detecting a ratiometric change in an incident light intensity; and a controller (430) configured to operate the one or more rings based on an intensity of an incident light and to, as a response to the circuit (420, 100, 10 101) detecting a ratiometric change in the intensity of the incident light from a higher intensity state to a lower intensity state indicating that at least a beginning of a blinking of an eye of a user has occurred, initiate a re-polarization of the one or more rings. A method of operating the smart contact lens and various uses of the circuit are also provided.