Abstract: An illuminator, comprising: an illumination waveguide, and a controller; the illumination waveguide being a planar waveguide configured to receive a light wave at a receiving end and guide it to a mirror end; the mirror end comprising a patterned mirror configured to reflect at least part of the light wave back into the illumination waveguide, the patterned mirror comprising a pattern configured to confer a diffraction pattern to the reflected light, the diffraction pattern contributing to an interference pattern, the interference pattern having an evanescent field outside the illumination waveguide, wherein the evanescent field of the interference pattern is configured to illuminate an object in close relation to the illumination waveguide; wherein the controller is configured to control a wavefront of the received light wave and to set a relation between the controlled wavefront and the pattern of the patterned mirror such that the interference pattern forms at least one element of constructive interference

Abstract: An aspect comprising an optical sensor is disclosed. The optical sensor comprises stacked layers comprising: a window layer configured to allow the passage of photons; a sensing layer configured to generate charges upon impinging of the photons through the window layer; and a bottom electrode layer comprising at least one bottom electrode for receiving charges generated in the sensing layer. The sensing layer is sandwiched between the window layer and the bottom electrode layer. The at least one bottom electrode of the bottom electrode layer comprises conductive material with reflectivity higher than 0.7 to reflect back received photons into the sensing layer; and the at least one bottom electrode is obtained by semiconductor device fabrication techniques.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to methods for inducing stress in semiconductor devices. One method includes a method for producing a first semiconductor device and a second semiconductor device configured to conduct current through the controlled density of charge carriers in a channel area. The charge carriers of the first semiconductor device have opposite polarity to the charge carriers of the second semiconductor device. The method includes producing a stress relaxed buffer (SRD) layer. The back side of the SRB layer is positioned on a substrate. The method also includes producing a semiconductor layer on the front side of the SRB layer. Additionally, the method includes producing the first semiconductor device and the second semiconductor device on the semiconductor layer, removing the substrate, thinning the SRB layer, producing a cavity in the SRB layer, and filling the cavity with a material to create a stress compensation area.

Abstract: A fluidic device (100) is described for locally coating an inner surface of a fluidic channel. The fluidic device (100) comprises a first (101), a second (102) and a third (103) fluidic channel intersecting at a common junction (105). The first fluidic channel is connectable to a coating fluid reservoir and the third fluidic channel is connectable to a sample fluid reservoir. The fluidic device (100) further comprises a fluid control means (111) configured for creating a fluidic flow path for a coating fluid at the common junction (105) such that, when coating, a coating fluid propagates from the first (101) to the second (102) fluidic channel via the common junction (105) without propagating into the third (103) fluidic channel. A corresponding method for coating and for sensing also has been disclosed.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to systems and methods for analog-to-digital signal conversion. One embodiment includes a system for analog-to-digital signal conversion. The system includes an analog input signal. The system also includes a digital-to-analog converter configured to generate a reference signal. Further, the system includes an amplifier configured to amplify an error signal that includes a difference between the analog input signal and the reference signal. Additionally, the system includes a level-crossing based sampling circuit that includes a first comparator configured to compare the error signal with respect to a first reference level, and a second comparator configured to compare the error signal with respect to a second reference level, thereby generating event-based reset signals corresponding to a plurality of sampling instances in order to reset the digital-to-analog converter.

Abstract: A method for deriving a calibration curve for determining a concentration of an analyte in an electrochemical reactor comprises determining a current level between a functionalized electrode and a reference electrode in the electrochemical reactor in absence of an analyte, the current level forming a zero-concentration current; injecting a fluid comprising an analyte in a first given concentration in the electrochemical reactor, determining after the predetermined amount of time a first calibration current level corresponding to the first given concentration and calculating a first current ratio of the first current level to the zero-concentration current; repeating the previous step for at least a second given concentration of the analyte, yielding at least a second current ratio of a second current level to the zero-concentration current; obtaining a calibration curve indicative of current ratio as a function of concentration from the first current ratio and at least the second current ratio.

Abstract: A method for forming a sensor is provided. The method includes: providing an active region comprising a channel having: a length, and a periphery consisting of one or more surfaces having said length, said periphery comprising a first part and a second part, each part having said length, the first part representing from 10 to 75% of the area of the periphery and the second part representing from 25 to 90% of the area of the periphery; providing a first dielectric structure on the entire first part, the first dielectric structure having a maximal equivalent oxide thickness; and providing a second dielectric structure on the entire second part, the second dielectric structure having a minimal equivalent oxide thickness larger than the maximal equivalent oxide thickness of the first dielectric structure.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an image sensor begins by illuminating a portion of the image sensor with an input light spectrum, where the input light spectrum includes light of known wavelength and intensity. The method continues by sampling an output for each optical sensor of the image sensor, where each optical sensor is associated with one or more optical filters and where each optical filter being associated with a group of optical filters of a plurality of groups of optical filters. Each optical filter of a group of optical filters is configured to pass light in a different wavelength range and at least some optical filters in different groups of the plurality of groups of optical filters are configured to pass light in substantially a same wavelength range.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates generally to a magnetic device and more particularly to a spintronic device comprising a tunnel barrier, a hybrid storage layer on the tunnel barrier and a metal layer on the hybrid storage layer. The hybrid storage layer comprises a first magnetic layer, a spacer layer on the first magnetic layer and at least one further magnetic layer on the spacer layer and exchange coupled to the first magnetic layer via the spacer layer.

Abstract: A device for calculating cardiovascular heartbeat information is configured to receive an electronic audio signal with information representative of a human voice signal in the time-domain, the human voice signal comprising a vowel audio sound of a certain duration and a fundamental frequency; generate a power spectral profile of a section of the electronic audio signal, and detect the fundamental frequency (F0) in the generated power spectral profile; filter the received audio signal within a band around at least the detected fundamental frequency (F0) and thereby generating a denoised audio signal; generate a time-domain intermediate signal that captures frequency, amplitude and/or phase of the denoised audio signal; detect and calculate heartbeat information within a human cardiac band in the intermediate signal.

Abstract: A data processing device for motion segmentation in images obtained by cameras that move in a background environment includes an input for receiving a temporal sequence of images from the cameras and a processor. The processor is adapted for, for at least two images, of the temporal sequence of images, that are obtained by at least two cameras at different points in time, determining epipoles, defining corresponding image regions of limited image disparity due to parallax around the epipoles in the at least two images, and applying a motion segmentation algorithm to the corresponding image regions. Warping is applied to the corresponding image regions to compensate for camera rotation and misalignment beyond a threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method (100) for determining at least one parameter related to the microcirculation function of a person, said method comprising the steps of a) determining (101) an arrival time (AT) of a pulse wave, wherein the AT is the time between the onset of an activity of the heart producing said pulse wave and the arrival of said pulse wave in a part of the body of said person; b) varying (102) an applied pressure (P) on said part of the body over time and determining said AT as a function of applied pressure and time; and c) assessing (103) said at least one parameter related to the microcirculation function based on said determination of AT and said AT as a function of applied pressure and time in steps a) and b). The present invention further provides a system (1) for determining at least one parameter.

Abstract: A method that provides patterning of an underlying layer to form a first set of trenches and a second set of trenches in the underlying layer is based on a combination of two litho-etch (LE) patterning processes supplemented with a spacer-assisted (SA) technique. The method uses a layer stack comprising three memorization layers: an upper memorization layer allowing first memorizing upper trenches, and then one or more upper blocks; an intermediate memorization layer allowing first memorizing intermediate trenches and one or more first intermediate blocks, and then second intermediate blocks and intermediate lines; and a lower memorization layer allowing first memorizing first lower trenches and one or more first lower blocks, and then second lower trenches and one or more second lower blocks.

Abstract: A solid electrolyte (10) of the present disclosure includes porous silica (11) having a plurality of pores (12) interconnected mutually and an electrolyte (13) coating inner surfaces of the plurality of pores (12). The electrolyte (13) includes 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide represented by EMI-TFSI and a lithium salt dissolved in the EMI-TFSI. A molar ratio of the EMI-TFSI to the porous silica (11) is larger than 1.5 and less than 2.0.

Abstract: A method for forming a film of an oxide of In, Ga, and Zn, having a spinel crystalline phase comprises providing a substrate in a chamber; providing a sputtering target in said chamber, the target comprising an oxide of In, Ga, and Zn, wherein: In, Ga, and Zn represent together at least 95 at % of the elements other than oxygen, In represents from 0.6 to 44 at % of In, Ga, and Zn, Ga represents from 22 to 66 at % of In, Ga, and Zn, and Zn represents from 20 to 46 at % of In, Ga, and Zn; and forming a film on the substrate, the substrate being at a temperature of from 125° C. to 250° C., by sputtering the target with a sputtering gas comprising O2, the sputtering being performed at a sputtering power of at least 200 W.

Abstract: A system and method for simulating an electronic circuit is disclosed. The method includes creating a finite set of circuit or device parameter points selected from within an n-dimensional parameter space. The method includes determining, for each circuit or device parameter point of the set, a corresponding response value of the performance metric and a corresponding probability of occurrence. The method includes determining, for a predetermined value of the performance metric, the total probability of occurrence.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to image sensors for time delay and integration imaging and methods for imaging using an array of photo-sensitive elements. One example image sensor for time delay and integration imaging includes an array of photo-sensitive elements that includes a plurality of photo-sensitive elements arranged in rows and columns of the array. Each photo-sensitive element includes an active layer configured to generate charges in response to incident light on the active layer. Each photo-sensitive element also includes a charge transport layer. Further, each photo-sensitive element includes at least a first and a second gate, each separated by a dielectric material from the charge transport layer. The array of photo-sensitive elements is configured such that the second gate of a first photo-sensitive element and the first gate of a second photo-sensitive element in a direction along a column of the array are configured to control transfer of charges.

Abstract: A compute cell for in-memory multiplication of a digital data input and a balanced ternary weight, and an in-memory computing device including an array of the compute cells, are provided. In one aspect, the compute cell includes a set of input connectors for receiving modulated input signals representative of a sign and a magnitude of the data input, and a memory unit configured to store the ternary weight. A logic unit connected to the set of input connectors and the memory unit receives the data input and the ternary weight. The logic unit selectively enables one of a plurality of conductive paths for supplying a partial charge to a read bit line during a compound duty cycle of the set of input signals as a function of the respective signs of data input and ternary weight, and disables each of the plurality of conductive paths if at least one of the ternary weight and data input have zero magnitude.

Abstract: A solid nanocomposite electrolyte material comprising a mesoporous dielectric material comprising a plurality of interconnected pores and an electrolyte layer covering inner surfaces of the mesoporous dielectric material. The electrolyte layer comprises: a first layer comprising a first dipolar compound or a first ionic compound, the first dipolar or ionic compound comprising a first pole of a first polarity and a second pole of a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, wherein the first layer is adsorbed on the inner surfaces with the first pole facing the inner surfaces; and a second layer covering the first layer, the second layer comprising a second ionic compound or a salt comprising first ions of the first polarity and second ions of the second polarity, wherein the first ions of the ionic compound or salt are bound to the first layer.

Abstract: An electronic system for bioimpedance signal acquisition, comprises: a current signal injection module configured for generating a current signal to be applied to a subject; a bioimpedance signal measurement module configured for measuring a bioimpedance signal based on a voltage generated by the current signal; a data quality detection module configured for detecting an AC or a DC level of the measured bioimpedance signal and detecting whether the AC or DC level is within or outside an AC reference value range and a DC reference value range, respectively; and a signal adaptation module configured for modifying at least one parameter of the current signal injection module or the bioimpedance signal measurement module based on said detection of the AC or DC level in relation to the AC reference value range and the DC reference value range, respectively.