Abstract: In an electret element 100 including a substrate 101, an electrically-conductive electrode 103, and an electret layer 107 including a first dielectric layer 104 and a second dielectric layer 105, when electrical charge charged in the electret layer 107 is negative, a bottom Ec of conductive band of the second dielectric layer 105 is lower than a bottom Ec of the first dielectric layer 104, and when the electrical charge is positive, a top Ev of valence band of the second dielectric layer 105 is higher than a top Ev of the first dielectric layer 104; and a concave portion 106 is formed in a surface of the first dielectric layer 104; and the second dielectric layer 105 is formed to cover the entire of the bottom face 106a and at least a part of the side wall 106b of the concave portion.

Abstract: A method for detecting embedded voids present in a structure formed in or on a semiconductor substrate is described. The method includes performing a processing step P1 for forming the structure; measuring the mass M1 of the substrate; performing thermal treatment; measuring the mass M2 of the substrate; calculating the mass difference between the mass of the substrate measured before and after the performed thermal treatment; and deducing the presence of embedded voids in the structure by comparing the mass difference with a pre-determined value.

Abstract: A portable electrocardiography (ECG) device includes a first pair of first type snap-in buttons at a first plane of a case. The first type snap-in buttons are configured for coupling to ECG electrodes having a second type snap-in button. The portable ECG device also includes a processor in electrical connection with the first pair of first type snap-in buttons. The processor is configured for monitoring and processing electrocardiography signals obtained by the ECG electrodes.

Abstract: An avalanche photodetector element is disclosed for converting an optical signal to an electrical signal, comprising an input waveguide and a photodetector region, the photodetector region comprising at least one intrinsic region, at least one p-doped region and at least one n-doped region, the doped regions and the at least one intrinsic region forming at least one PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the input waveguide and the photodetector region being arranged with respect to each other such that the optical signal conducted by the input waveguide is substantially conducted into the photodetector region to the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode, the PIN-junction avalanche photodiode converting the optical signal to an electrical signal, characterized in that the photodetector region comprises more than one p-doped region and/or n-doped region, whereby these p-doped regions and/or n-doped regions are physically arranged as an array.

Abstract: Transmitter circuits for generating baseband signals having low receiver-band noise are disclosed. In one embodiment, the transmitter circuit comprises an active filtering-and-amplifying component comprising a first input configured to receive a first input signal, and a first output configured to output a first output signal. The transmitter circuit further comprises a passive filtering component comprising a second input connected to the first output and configured to receive the first output signal, a passive pole arrangement comprising a number of switchable resistance elements and a capacitance element connected across the plurality of switchable resistance elements, and a second output configured to output a second output signal having reduced noise as compared to the first output signal. The transmitter still further comprises a number of feedback loops connecting the passive filtering component to the first input.

Abstract: A method for forming, on an organic semiconductor layer, an electrical contact layer comprising a metal, is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes providing a charge collecting barrier layer on the organic semiconductor layer, providing a liquid composition comprising a precursor for the metal on the charge collecting barrier layer, and performing a sintering process. The charge collecting barrier layer is substantially impermeable to the components of the liquid composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated photonic device (100) operatively coupleable with an optical element (300) in a first coupling direction. The integrated photonic device (100) comprises an integrated photonic waveguide (120) and a grating coupler (130) that is adapted for diffracting light from the waveguide (120) into a second coupling direction different from the first coupling direction. The integrated photonics device also comprises a refractive element (110) disposed adjacent the grating coupler (130) and adapted to refract the light emerging from the grating coupler (130) in the second coupling direction into the first coupling direction.

Abstract: A microcomputer for executing an application is described. The microcomputer comprises a heterogeneous coarse grained reconfigurable array comprising a plurality of functional units, optionally register files, and memories, and at least one processing unit supporting multiple threads of control. The at least one processing unit is adapted for allowing each thread of control to reconfigure at run-time the claiming of one or more particular types of the functional units to work for that thread depending on requirements of the application, e.g. workload, and/or the environment, e.g. current usage of FU's. This way, multithreading with dynamic allocation of CGA resources is implemented. Based on the demand of the application and the current utilization of the CGRA, different resource combinations can be claimed.

Abstract: A method for lithography is disclosed. The method includes obtaining a self-organizing block-copolymer layer on a neutral layer overlying a substrate, the self-organizing block-copolymer layer comprising at least two polymer components having mutually different etching resistances, the self-organizing block-copolymer layer furthermore comprising a copolymer pattern structure formed by micro-phase separation of the at least two polymer components. Further, the method includes etching selectively a first polymer component of the self-organizing block-copolymer layer, thereby remaining a second polymer component. Still further, the method includes applying a plasma etching to the neutral layer using the second polymer component as a mask, wherein the plasma etching comprises an inert gas and H2.

Abstract: A method for forming a nanostructure penetrating a layer and the device made thereof is disclosed. In one aspect, the device has a substrate, a layer present thereon, and a nanostructure penetrating the layer. The nanostructure defines a nanoscale passageway through which a molecule to be analyzed can pass through. The nanostructure has, in cross-sectional view, a substantially triangular shape. This shape is particularly achieved by growth of an epitaxial layer having crystal facets defining tilted sidewalls of the nanostructure. It is highly suitably for use for optical characterization of molecular structure, particularly with surface plasmon enhanced transmission spectroscopy.

Abstract: A MEMS switch in which contact force sufficient to make a contact having low contact resistance is maintained after contact-formation to maintain low contact resistance at the contact where the signal is transmitted in an “on” state. The MEMS switch includes a first electrode, a second electrode opposed to and separated from the first electrode, a third and a fourth electrodes, wherein electrical contact is made between the electrodes by electrostatic force generated between the electrodes, and a bump which can form the contact between the electrodes is provided on an electrode, and a gap is formed between the electrodes when the electrical contact is made between the electrodes.

Abstract: A method and device for converting first program code into second program code, such that the second program code has an improved execution on a targeted programmable platform, is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes grouping operations on data for joint execution on a functional unit of the targeted platform, scheduling operations on data in time, and assigning operations to an appropriate functional unit of the targeted platform. Detailed word length information, rather than the typically used approximations like powers of two, may be used in at least one of the grouping, scheduling or assigning operations.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to a semiconductor device comprising a diode junction between two semiconductor regions of different doping types. In one aspect, the diode comprises a junction formed between an upper portion of an active area and a remainder of the active area, where the active area is defined in a substrate between two field dielectric regions. The upper portion is a portion of the active area that has a width smaller than a width of the active area itself. In another aspect, the semiconductor device is an electrostatic discharge protection device (ESD) comprising such a diode. In addition, the active area has a doping profile that exhibits a maximum value at the surface of the active area, and changes to a minimum value at a first depth, where the first depth can be greater in value than half of a depth of the upper portion.

Abstract: A method and system for optically determining a substantially fully activated doping profile are disclosed. The substantially fully activated doping profile is characterized by a set of physical parameters. In one aspect, the method includes obtaining a sample comprising a fully activated doping profile and a reference, and obtaining photomodulated reflectance (PMOR) offset curve measurement data and DC reflectance measurement data for the sample including the fully activated doping profile and for the reference. The method also includes determining values for the set of physical parameters of the doping profile based on both the photomodulated reflectance offset curve measurements and the DC reflectance measurements.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a gas sensor including a first layer and a second layer superimposed on each other along an interface between the two layers. The first layer includes an array of nanoparticles along the interface, the nanoparticles provided so as to allow, upon illumination with electromagnetic radiation, long range diffractive coupling of surface plasmon resonances resulting in a surface lattice resonance condition. The second layer includes a material that, when exposed to at least one predetermined gas, detectably affects the surface lattice resonance condition. The material of the second layer preferably has a porosity of at least 10%.

Abstract: A method of determining non-ideality characteristics introduced on a signal by a transceiver is disclosed. The transceiver has an up-conversion transmitter and a down-conversion receiver. In one aspect, the method includes: a) generating a signal comprising at least one known training symbol, b) up-converting this signal with a first frequency to a first signal in the transmitter, c) transferring the first signal from the transmitter to the receiver, d) down-converting with a second frequency this transferred first signal to a second signal in the receiver, the second frequency being different from but linked to the first frequency, e) detecting at least one of the training symbols in the second signal; and f) separating, in the frequency domain, at least one of the components of at least one of the detected training symbols for determining the non-ideality characteristics.

Abstract: A method for selective deposition of semiconductor materials in semiconductor processing is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method includes providing a patterned substrate comprising a first region and a second region, where the first region comprises an exposed first semiconductor material and the second region comprise an exposed insulator material. The method further includes selectively providing a film of the second semiconductor material on the first semiconductor material of the first region by providing a precursor of a second semiconductor material, a carrier gas that is not reactive with chlorine compounds, and tin-tetrachloride (SnCl4). The tin-tetrachloride inhibits the deposition of the second semiconductor material on the insulator material of the second region.

Abstract: A vibration power generator comprises: a fixed substrate; a vibrating body having a surface opposed to the fixed substrate, the vibrating body being vibratable to the fixed substrate; electret electrodes aligned in a vibration direction on one of the surface of the fixed substrate and the surface of the vibrating body; and first fixed electrodes and second fixed electrodes alternately aligned in the vibration direction on the other thereof, wherein when the vibrating body is at a resting position, each of the electret electrodes overlaps with both electrodes of a corresponding fixed electrode pair, the corresponding fixed electrode pair being one of the first fixed electrodes and one of the second fixed electrodes that are opposed to the electret electrode, and when the vibrating body is not at a resting position, each of the electret electrodes always overlaps with at least one electrode of the corresponding fixed electrode pair.

Abstract: A test circuitry configured to test for transition delay defects in inter-die interconnects is disclosed. In one aspect, the test circuitry comprises an input port configured to receive a test data value and a data storage element configured to temporarily store the test data value. The test circuitry additionally comprises a second inter-die interconnect configured to be electrically connected to a first inter-die interconnect so as to form a feedback loop for transferring the test data value from the data storage element back to the data storage element. The test circuitry additionally comprises a data conditioner configured to condition the fed back test data value so as to make it distinguishable from the stored test data value. The test circuitry additionally comprises a clock pulse generator configured to generate a delayed clock pulse.

Abstract: A sensor for biopotential measurement, comprising: an electrical contacting unit for establishing an electrical contact with an animal or human skin, the electrical contacting unit being resilient. The sensor comprises a housing comprising a cavity wherein the electrical contacting unit is partially secured, and means for maintaining said electrical contacting unit in a resiliently deformed state when in contact with said skin.