Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices describe triaxial photoconductive switch modules that include a center conductor, an inner conductor, an outer conductor, a high voltage capacitor that is formed between the center conductor and the inner conductor, and a photoconductive switch that is formed between the center conductor and a section of the outer conductor. The disclosed triaxial photoconductive switch modules include low inductance current paths that lead to high current efficiencies. Furthermore, the disclosed triaxial photoconductive switch modules eliminate or reduce parasitic capacitance problems of existing systems.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup unit includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device. The plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor, the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

Abstract: The invention concerns active-pixel electronic image sensors. The pixel comprises a photodiode (PH) designed in a semiconductor active layer (12) and maintained at a nil reference potential, and above the active layer an anti-blooming gate (G5) adjacent on one side to the photodiode and on another side to an evacuation drain (22). The sensor comprises means for applying to the anti-blooming gate, during most of the duration of integration, a blocking potential creating beneath the gate a potential barrier of a first height, and, during a series of brief pulses over the duration of integration, an anti-blooming potential creating a potential barrier of a second height, lower than the first. The fact of only applying the anti-blooming voltage during the brief pulses reduces the dark noise induced by tunneling effect by the electric field between gate and photodiode.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns an apparatus (10) and method for reading out an optical chip (20). A light source (13) is arranged for emitting single mode source light (S1) from its emitter surface (A1) towards an optical input (21) of the optical chip (20). A light detector (14) is arranged for receiving measurement light (S2) impinging onto its receiver surface (A2) from an optical output (22) of the optical chip (20), and measuring said received measurement light (S2). The emitted source light (S1) is aligned to enter the optical input (21) of the optical chip (20) and the measurement light (S2) is aligned back onto the receiver surface (A2). The receiver surface (A2) is larger than the emitter surface (A1) for facilitating the overall alignment.

Abstract: A subassembly for a video endoscope with a picture-recording sensor (9) which is electrically conductively arranged on a flexible circuit board (8) which next to the sensor (9) is bent at least at one side and is conductively connected to at least one electrical cable proximally of the sensor (9).

Abstract: An alignment system for a laser apparatus includes a guide laser device outputting a guide laser beam, an adjusting mechanism adjusting travel directions of the guide laser beam and a laser beam from the laser apparatus, a beam path combiner controlling travel directions of the laser beam and the guide laser beam to substantially coincide with each other, a first optical detection unit provided from the beam path combiner detecting the laser and guide laser beams, a first controller controlling the adjusting mechanism based on a first optical detection unit detection result, a beam steering unit downstream from the beam path combiner controlling travel directions of the laser and guide laser beams, a second optical detection unit downstream from the beam steering unit detecting the guide laser beam, and a second controller controlling the beam steering unit based on a second optical detection unit detection result.

Abstract: An imaging element includes pixel portions each having a first sub-pixel and a second sub-pixel and outputs a phase difference detection-type focus detecting signal. An image signal A includes information for the first sub-pixel and an image signal AB includes information for the second sub-pixel. A level determining unit compares the image signal A with a threshold value SHA and compares the image signal AB with a threshold value SHAB. A correlation calculation processing unit performs correlation calculation for a signal excluding the image signal A having a level exceeding the threshold value SHA and the image signal AB having a level exceeding the threshold value SHAB so as to output the result of calculation to a CPU. The CPU calculates a focal shift amount in accordance with the result of calculation and performs a focus adjusting operation by drive-controlling a focus lens.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup unit includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device. The plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor, the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

Abstract: (Object) To provide an optical receiver and a control method thereof that enable equalization of both the quantum efficiencies and the dark count probabilities of multiple photon detectors. (Solving Means) An optical receiver includes multiple photon detectors, a first equalizing means that equalizes either dark count probabilities or quantum efficiencies of the multiple photon detectors, and a second equalizing means that equalizes the other ones without affecting the equalization by the first equalizing means.

Abstract: A system and method for discriminately measuring the response of a plurality of spatially separated fiber sensors positioned along an optical fiber using a sweep of electromagnetic radiation. Each fiber sensor affects the transmission of a particular wavelength of electromagnetic radiation and the particular wavelength affected by a given fiber sensor is dependent on at least one environmental property of the given fiber sensor. By detecting the particular wavelength affected by a given sensor, it is possible to determine the environmental property of the given sensor.

Abstract: A proximity sensor may be mounted below a display cover layer in an electronic device. The proximity sensor may have a light source that emits light and a detector configured to detect reflections of the emitted light from nearby external objects. The light emitted from the light source may pass through a lens along an axis towards external objects. The light source and the detector may be mounted in a proximity sensor housing having openings that are aligned with the light source and the detector. A reflector may be mounted to the proximity sensor in a configuration that bridges the opening over the light source. The reflector may be formed from a strip of metal or a strip of prism structures. Some of the light from the light source reflects from the reflector at a non-zero angle with respect to the axis and enhances proximity sensor performance.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing a light grid comprising a transmitting unit having a plurality of transmitters and a receiving unit having a plurality of receivers. A transmitter control unit activates the transmitters one after another in a cycle, and a receiver control unit evaluates the receivers. Each transmitter is associated with a receiver, and an activated transmitter transmits a transmission beam to its associated receiver. At least two transmission beams in the cycle are synchronization transmission beams which are emitted at a time offset from one another. The receiver control unit measures the time offset, and the synchronization transmission beams are uniquely associated with the totality of the transmission beams in the cycle on the basis of the time offset.

Abstract: An inspection apparatus and an inspection method capable of performing an inspection more accurately are provided. An inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source 10 that illuminates a sample 30 in which a pattern is formed, a detector 11 that detects light reflected from the sample 30 illuminated by the light source, and a processing device 50 that performs an inspection based on a correlation between a brightness value of a sample image obtained by the detector and a size in a surface shape or a size in a width direction of the pattern of the sample 30. The processing device 50 performs the inspection based on a summation value obtained by adding up brightness values of sample images with weights, the sample images being obtained under a plurality of shooting conditions.

Abstract: A sensor apparatus has a substrate and a spectrally selective detection system, and a cover. The spectrally sensitive detection system is sandwiched between the substrate and the cover. The spectrally selective detection system includes a generally laminar array of wavelength selectors optically coupled to a corresponding array of optical detectors located within the substrate. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup unit includes: a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a substrate made of a first semiconductor; a photoelectric conversion device provided on the substrate and including a first electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode in order from the substrate; and a plurality of field-effect transistors configured to perform signal reading from the photoelectric conversion device. The plurality of transistors include a transfer transistor and an amplification transistor, the transfer transistor includes an active layer containing a second semiconductor with a larger band gap than that of the first semiconductor, and one terminal of a source and a drain of the transfer transistor also serves the first electrode or the second electrode of the photoelectric conversion device, and the other terminal of the transfer transistor is connected to a gate of the amplification transistor.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for detecting and indicating laser radiation comprising a laser device (36) producing the laser radiation, such as rotation lasers or line lasers, and an indicating device (22) with at least one laser beam detector and at least one indicating element (26, 28, 30) which indicates the detected laser radiation. In order to precisely indicate the position of the laser radiation to be detected using uncomplicated circuitry, it is proposed that the at least one laser beam detector and the at least one indicating element are the same component in form of an LED (26, 28, 30).

Abstract: A controller of an optical measurement apparatus causes, in a condition that a rotational speed of a rotary body is controlled so that the speed is a specified value, a light source to generate light having a constant intensity and apply the light to an irradiation region, and acquires first timing information based on a change with time of an intensity of reflected light or transmitted light that is output from a second detection unit receiving the reflected light or transmitted light of the applied light. The controller causes the light source to periodically generate pulsed light in accordance with the first timing information and apply the pulsed light to the irradiation region, and acquires second timing information based on a result which is output from the first detection unit whose measurement is periodically enabled in accordance with the first timing information.

Abstract: A radiation imaging system includes a radiation imaging apparatus including a radiation detection unit in which conversion elements configured to convert radiation into electric charges are arranged and a driving unit configured to drive the radiation detection unit, and a control apparatus configured to control the radiation imaging apparatus. The control apparatus includes: a determination unit configured to determine whether a remaining image sensing enable time acquired by subtracting an elapsed time from initialization of the radiation detection unit from an image sensing enable time for a radiation image in use of the radiation detection unit is not less than a threshold time; a control unit configured to change operating states of the radiation detection unit and the driving unit in accordance with the determination result; and an operation detection unit configured to detect an operation instruction for the control unit.

Abstract: A device that may include a DC power supply coupled to a fixed current source; an APD; a DC voltage regulator that comprises a regulating transistor, arranged to maintain a regulated voltage at a fixed value over different APD currents; a temperature control module that is arranged to maintain a portion of the temperature control module at a fixed temperature; and compensation circuit that comprises a compensation component that is thermally coupled to the APD. A voltage drop over the compensation component is smaller than a voltage drop over the APD. A sum of (a) a current that pass through the APD and (b) a current that passes through the compensation component is fixed. The portion of the temperature control module is thermally coupled to the compensation component and to the APD.

Abstract: The output of an avalanche photodiode (APD) comprises a “photocurrent” component comprising photon initiated events resulting from the interaction of photons with the APD and a “dark current” component comprising dark carrier events arising in the APD even when the APD is not exposed to light. Differences in the pulse height distributions of photon initiated events and dark carrier initiated events are used to statistically discriminate between photocurrent and dark current components of APD output.