Abstract: A device including a gas sensor sensitive to the presence of a specific gas is disclosed. In one aspect, the gas sensor includes a first segment made of a dielectric material and a second segment made of a semiconducting material. The first segment has a first surface exposed to an environment of the gas sensor and is located between the environment and the second segment. The first segment has a first thickness and the second segment has a second thickness. The first thickness is selected such that upon diffusion of a gas molecule of the specific gas into the first segment, a dipole of the molecule of the specific gas detectably influences a bending of an energy-band structure of the semiconducting material of the second segment. The second thickness is in the order of, or smaller than, the Debye length of the semiconducting material.

Abstract: A method for demodulating an RF input signal using an envelope detector and synchronous switching of the input signal before entering and after leaving the envelope detector, the envelope detector having a non-linear transfer function acting essentially as a squaring function. The invention also relates to an electronic receiver circuit performing such a method, and to an RF receiver comprising such an electronic receiver, and to an electronic device comprising such an RF receiver, and to the use of such an RF receiver as a wake-up receiver.

Abstract: Method and system (1) for stabilizing a temperature (Tcomp) of an integrated electrical component, placed in an oven, at a predefined temperature (Tset). The temperature of the integrated electrical component is sensed by means of temperature sensing means, comprising a first resp. second sensing element (61, 62) located in good thermal contact with the integrated electrical component, the first resp. second sensing elements (61, 62) having a first resp. second temperature dependent characteristic (63, 64), the second temperature dependency being different from the first temperature dependency such that the first and second characteristics (63, 64) intersect at the predefined temperature (Tset), and a sensing circuit (72) adapted for sensing the first and the second sensing elements (61, 62) and for supplying a first resp. second measurement signal (83, 84) indicative of the first resp.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method of operating a wireless system is disclosed. The method comprises allocating each video packet to a plurality of user specific priority queues. The method further comprises assigning each of the queues to a video quality layer. The method further comprises selectively dropping of one or more of video packets in cases of network congestion based on the video quality layer information.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method and apparatus for cleaning a substrate, in particular a semiconductor substrate such as a silicon wafer. The substrate is placed in a tank containing a cleaning liquid, at an angle with respect to acoustic waves produced in said liquid. The angle corresponds to the angle of transmission, i.e. the angle at which waves are not reflected off the substrate surface. A damping material is provided in the tank, arranged to absorb substantially all waves thus transmitted through the substrate. A significant improvement in terms of cleaning efficiency is obtained by the method of the invention.

Abstract: A low noise amplifying (LNA) circuit comprising an amplifying section (11, 12) and a feedback means (14) arranged for providing input matching from the output to the input. The LNA circuit further comprises at least one frequency band determining inductor (15) having a predetermined resonance frequency for influencing at least one frequency band in which the amplifying section operates. The at least one inductor is directly connected to the output of the circuit and the feedback means (14) provides a feedback connection for the section (s) to the input. In this way, the at least one frequency band in which the amplifying section operates is substantially completely determined by the at least one frequency band determining inductor (15).

Abstract: An electrostatically actuatable micro electromechanical device is provided with enhanced reliability and lifetime. The electrostatically actuatable micro electromechanical device comprises: a substrate, a first conductor fixed to the top layer of the substrate, forming a fixed electrode, a second conductor fixed to the top layer of the substrate, and a substrate area. The second conductor is electrically isolated from the first conductor and comprises a moveable portion, suspended at a predetermined distance above the first conductor, the moveable portion forming a moveable electrode which approaches the fixed electrode upon applying an actuation voltage between the first and second conductors. The selected substrate surface area is defined as the orthogonal projection of the moveable portion on the substrate between the first and second conductors. In the substrate surface area at least one recess is provided in at least the top layer of the substrate.

Abstract: The described system relates to a method for forming a layer of a mono-crystalline semiconductor material on a substrate, comprising providing a substrate, growing epitaxially a template comprising at least one monolayer of a semiconductor material on the substrate, thereafter depositing an amorphous layer of the semiconductor material on the template; performing a thermal treatment or a laser anneal, thereby converting substantially all of the amorphous layer of the semiconductor material into a mono-crystalline layer of the semiconductor material. According to an embodiment, the semiconductor material is Ge and the substrate is a Si substrate. The template is preferably a few monolayers thick.

Abstract: A sensing device for detecting an analyte is disclosed. In one aspect, the device includes at least one geometrical structure and at least two clamps provided for clamping the at least one geometrical structure on at least two ends of the geometrical structure. The at least one geometrical structure has at least one chemical responsive layer being absorbent or adsorbent for the analyte, and a support structure provided for at least partly supporting the at least one chemical responsive layer. The at least one chemical responsive layer has a varying effective spring constant which changes upon absorption or adsorption of the analyte.

Abstract: A data transfer device for transferring data on a platform, in particular for transferring simultaneous data between different components of the platform, is disclosed. In one aspect, the data transfer device is adapted for simultaneous transfer of data between at least 3 ports of which at least one is an input port and at least one is an output port. The data transfer device has at least two controllers for executing instructions that transfer data between an input port and an output port. The controllers are adapted for receiving a synchronization instruction for synchronizing between the controllers and/or a synchronization instruction for synchronizing input ports and output ports.

Abstract: The invention provides a single-step method for removing bulk metal contamination from III-V semiconductor substrates. The method comprises immersing a metal contaminated III-V semiconductor substrate in a mixture of sulfuric acid and peroxide with a volume ratio of sulfuric acid to peroxide (e.g., hydrogen peroxide) between about 3:1 and about 9:1. After treating the III-V semiconductor substrates with the sulfuric acid-peroxide mixture, the bulk metal contamination may be substantially removed from the substrate while a surface roughness of the substrate after treatment of below about 0.5 nm RMS (2 ?m×2 ?m) is obtained. The invention further provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device by removing bulk metal contamination according to the single-step method of the invention before performing processing steps for forming the semiconductor device.

Abstract: A micro-power system and a tire pressure monitoring system that includes an energy harvesting module and a computing device are disclosed. In one aspect, the energy harvesting module comprises an energy harvesting unit having a combined vibration energy/RF energy harvester. A single sensing element is used for both vibration energy harvest and for RF communication including RF energy harvesting. Energy harvested is transmitted to power management module which powers components of the energy harvesting module. Data relating to sensor output from the single sensing element is transmitted to a microcontroller and transmitted to a microprocessor unit on the computing device.

Abstract: A method for sealing a cavity is disclosed. The method includes depositing a membrane layer on top of a sacrificial layer, etching release holes into the membrane layer, and removing at least a portion of the sacrificial layer through the release holes to form a cavity. Prior to removing the sacrificial layer portion, the method includes producing a narrowing layer on the side walls of the release holes. The narrowing layer can be a sealing layer that seals off the release holes after a reflow step. Alternatively, the narrowing layer can be a layer that does not have a sealing function and is used to narrow the holes, allowing the holes to be sealed without a sealing or other material entering the cavity. The narrowing layer may be deposited by conformal deposition followed by an anisotropic etch or by direct deposition on the side walls of the release holes.

Abstract: A system (100) is described for characterizing and/or manipulating molecules. The system may especially be suitable for biological molecules, although the invention is not limited thereto. The system (100) comprises a substrate (110) comprising a nanostructure (120) being suitable for translocation of molecules through the nanostructure (120). It furthermore comprises a means (210) for translocating molecules through the nanostructure (120) and a plasmonic force field generating means (130) adapted for influencing the translocation speed of the particle by applying a plasmonic force field at the nanostructure (120). A corresponding method also is described.

Abstract: A system and method for electrochemically processing non-flat samples and/or samples that can change shape during the electrochemical processing is disclosed. In one aspect, a system includes a sample holder for providing an electrical contact to the sample during electrochemical processing. The sample holder has a carrying element and a fixing element for clamping of the sample in between the fixing element and the carrying element, thus providing electrical contact to the sample while allowing the sample to change shape without interrupting the electrical contact.

Abstract: A method for determining an estimate of statistical properties of an electronic system comprising individual components subject to manufacturing process variability is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises obtaining statistical properties of the performance of individual components of the electronic system, obtaining information about execution of an application on the system, simulating execution of the application based on the obtained information about execution of the application on the system for a simulated electronic system realization constructed by selecting individual components with the obtained statistical properties determining the delay and energy of the electronic system, and determining the statistical properties of the delay and energy of the electronic system.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for gathering information about an object including single domain particles which have a diameter in the range of about 5 to 80 nm. In one aspect, a method includes generating a static magnetic field of less than about 0.1 Tesla on the object and generating an RF energy, pulsed or continuous wave, so as to generate electron paramagnetic resonance of the single domain particles. The method also includes detecting the electron paramagnetic resonance of the single domain particles in the form of an image of the object. The single domain particles may have a predetermined diameter and a predetermined saturation magnetization and the applied magnetic field may be such that the single domain particles reach a magnetization being at least about 10% of the saturation magnetization. The method may be used for detecting tags in an object and for activating tags.

Abstract: A Field Effect Transistor (FET) semiconductor device comprising at least one nanostructure, comprises at least a uniformly doped beam-shaped nanostructure having two major surfaces, a gate electrode provided at either major surface of the nanostructure, and an insulating layer between each of the major surfaces of the nanostructure and the gate electrodes to form a double gate nanostructure pinch-off FET. It is an advantage of such FET that pinch-off voltage and current of the FET can be independently tuned.

Abstract: An electrochemical ethylene sensor and method for ethylene sensing are disclosed. In one aspect, an electrochemical ethylene sensor includes a working electrode and a counter electrode on an electrically insulating substrate. An ionic liquid layer covers the working electrode and counter electrode. In one method, a voltage is applied to the working electrode which is equal to or lower than the voltage required for the onset of oxidation of the material of the working electrode, for example, in the range spanning 700 mV before the onset of oxidation of the material of the working electrode.

Abstract: A method of forming a crystalline silicon layer on a substrate is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes performing a metal induced crystallization process. The process includes depositing a metal (e.g. aluminum) on the substrate at a first temperature, the metal having an external surface. The method may also include oxidizing the external surface of the metal at a second temperature, and depositing amorphous silicon on the oxidized external surface of the metal at a third temperature. The method may also include annealing the metal and the silicon at a fourth temperature, whereby a crystalline silicon layer is obtained on the substrate covered by an external layer comprising the metal, and removing the external layer comprising the metal thereby exposing the crystalline silicon layer, wherein at least the first temperature and the fourth temperature (crystallization temperature) are not lower than 200° C.