Abstract: An integrated optical waveguide formed in a substrate is disclosed. The integrated optical waveguide includes a hole, a core, and one or more bridges. The hole extends in an axial direction of the substrate. The core is made of the same material as the substrate, arranged in the hole, and extends in the axial direction. The core has a first refractive index and a sidewall which is at least partly surrounded by a surrounding material which has a second refractive index which is lower than the first refractive index and such that a refractive index difference between the first refractive index and the second refractive index allows to guide light within the core. The bridges extend from the sidewall of the core to a sidewall of the hole. The bridges may be made of the same material as the substrate. Furthermore, one or more of the sidewalls of the core, the hole, and the bridges may be tapered sidewalls which include a section which is oblique to the axial direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to producing an electro-optical phase shifter such that it may be integrated into a front-end of line of an electronic-photonic integrated circuit. A conducting bottom layer with a first refractive index is provided. A center layer including a ferroelectric material and with a second refractive index is provided on top of a first region of the conducting bottom layer, such that the center layer is not on top of a second region of the conducting bottom layer. A conducting top layer with a third refractive index is provided on top of the center layer. The second refractive index is lower than the first refractive index and lower than the third refractive index, such that the conducting bottom layer, the center layer, and the conducting top layer form a slot waveguide. A first electrical connector which connects the second region of the conducting bottom layer with an upper layer is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a slot waveguide formed by a vertical material stack comprising a top layer with a first refractive index, a center layer including a ferroelectric material and with a second refractive index, and a Si1-xGex pseudosubstrate layer with 0<x?1 and with a third refractive index. The center layer is grown on the Si1-xGex pseudosubstrate layer. The second refractive index is lower than the first refractive index and lower than the third refractive index. The slot waveguide can be included in a phase-shifter including two vertically arranged electrodes configured for providing a vertical electrical field (Ev) extending between the top layer and the bottom layer of the slot waveguide and for providing a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible driver voltage. The phase-shifter can be configured for providing a linear electro-optical effect inside the center layer of the slot waveguide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a silicon-based multifunction substrate. The silicon-based multifunction substrate comprises bulk silicon regions extending from a front surface to a back surface of the silicon-based multifunction substrate and at least one buried oxide layer laterally arranged between the bulk silicon regions. The buried oxide layer is covered by a structured silicon layer extending up to the front surface. The structured silicon layer comprises, laterally arranged between the bulk silicon regions, at least two silicon-on-insulator regions, herein SOI regions, with different thicknesses above the buried oxide layer. The SOI regions of the structured silicon layer are electrically insulated from each other by a respective first trench isolation extending from the front surface to the buried oxide layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to producing an electro-optical phase shifter such that it may be integrated into a front-end of line of an electronic-photonic integrated circuit. A conducting bottom layer with a first refractive index is provided. A center layer including a ferroelectric material and with a second refractive index is provided on top of a first region of the conducting bottom layer, such that the center layer is not on top of a second region of the conducting bottom layer. A conducting top layer with a third refractive index is provided on top of the center layer. The second refractive index is lower than the first refractive index and lower than the third refractive index, such that the conducting bottom layer, the center layer, and the conducting top layer form a slot waveguide. A first electrical connector which connects the second region of the conducting bottom layer with an upper layer is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a slot waveguide formed by a vertical material stack comprising a top layer with a first refractive index, a center layer including a ferroelectric material and with a second refractive index, and a Si1-xGex pseudosubstrate layer with 0<x?1 and with a third refractive index. The center layer is grown on the Si1-xGex pseudosubstrate layer. The second refractive index is lower than the first refractive index and lower than the third refractive index. The slot waveguide can be included in a phase-shifter including two vertically arranged electrodes configured for providing a vertical electrical field (E) extending between the top layer and the bottom layer of the slot waveguide and for providing a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor compatible driver voltage. The phase-shifter can be configured for providing a linear electro-optical effect inside the center layer of the slot waveguide.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes fuel cells, a gas supply system, a first accumulator, a second accumulator, and power connection. The fuel cells are arranged in a cell stack having a first axial end and a second axial end. The gas supply system is configured to supply gas for the operation of the fuel cells, the fuel cells being stacked in an axial direction. The first accumulator is arranged at the first axial end of the cell stack. The second accumulator is arranged at the second axial end of the cell stack. The power connection is electrically conductively connected to the second accumulator, and is arranged at the gas supply system. The cell stack is arranged within an insulation sheath and the gas supply system is arranged partly outside the insulation sheath and the power connection is arranged outside the insulation sheath.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for data storage. A hierarchical storage management architecture is presented to facilitate data management. The disclosed system provides methods for evaluating the state of stored data relative to enterprise needs by using weighted parameters that may be user defined. Also disclosed are systems and methods evaluating costing and risk management associated with stored data.

Abstract: A method for producing a metallic interconnector for a fuel cell stack, including an air guiding surface with a first gas distributor structure and a fuel gas guiding surface with a second gas distributor structure, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure each formed by grooves and webs, includes providing a sheet metal blank, forming the sheet metal blank by a plastic molding process, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure being formed in such a manner that the grooves and webs of the first gas distributor structure are arranged complementary to the grooves and webs of the second gas distributor structure at a predeterminable percentage of area of the air guiding surface and the fuel gas guiding surface of at least 50% and at most 99%.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photonic sensor chip comprising a semiconductor substrate with a cavity extending from a back side through an entire depth of the semiconductor substrate, a photonic plane located on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. The chip includes a photonic particle sensor element with an active-surface element having an exposed active surface facing towards the back side of the semiconductor substrate, for capturing selected particles from at least one fluid or gas to which the active surface is exposable. The cavity provides access to the active surface from the back side. The photonic particle sensor element receives an optical input wave via the photonic plane, to expose captured particles on the active-surface element to interaction with the optical input wave and to provide a resulting optical output wave having a spectral component indicative of the interaction between the optical input wave and captured particles.

Abstract: A fuel cell module includes fuel cells and an air supply system. The fuel cells are arranged in a cell stack. The air supply system is configured to supply air into an air distribution space for operating or cooling the fuel cells. The fuel cells are stacked in an axial direction. The air supply system is configured such that cooling results due to the air supplied to the fuel cells not being of uniform strength in the axial direction. The air supply system is arranged completely radially outside the cell stack.

Abstract: A spring plate for supporting a vehicle suspension spring, with a surface facing toward the vehicle suspension spring and with at least one support point, wherein the spring plate has a region which extends from the surface in the direction of the vehicle suspension spring and forms the support point, and wherein a sheet-metal element acting as a corrosion protection element is fastened to the extended region and is in contact with the vehicle suspension spring in all operating states.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for data storage. A hierarchical storage management architecture is presented to facilitate data management. The disclosed system provides methods for evaluating the state of stored data relative to enterprise needs by using weighted parameters that may be user defined. Also disclosed are systems and methods evaluating costing and risk management associated with stored data.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrooptical device comprising a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a back side, at least one photonic component arranged on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, the photonic component comprising an active layer made of a non-linear optical material, wherein at least one cavity, extends through the semiconductor substrate and connects the active layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate with the back side of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photonic sensor chip comprising a semiconductor substrate with a cavity extending from a back side through an entire depth of the semiconductor substrate, a photonic plane located on the front side of the semiconductor substrate. The chip includes a photonic particle sensor element with an active-surface element having an exposed active surface facing towards the back side of the semiconductor substrate, for capturing selected particles from at least one fluid or gas to which the active surface is exposable. The cavity provides access to the active surface from the back side. The photonic particle sensor element receives an optical input wave via the photonic plane, to expose captured particles on the active-surface element to interaction with the optical input wave and to provide a resulting optical output wave having a spectral component indicative of the interaction between the optical input wave and captured particles.

Abstract: A spring plate for supporting a vehicle suspension spring, with a surface facing toward the vehicle suspension spring and with at least one support point, wherein the spring plate has a region which extends from the surface in the direction of the vehicle suspension spring and forms the support point, and wherein a sheet-metal element acting as a corrosion protection element is fastened to the extended region and is in contact with the vehicle suspension spring in all operating states.

Abstract: In a method for regulating a fuel cell stack (1), a current-voltage characteristic of the fuel cell stack is detected and evaluated to determine an operating point of the fuel cell stack, wherein a current-voltage characteristic of the fuel cell stack (1) is detected at time intervals in operation whose gradient has a minimum, a characteristic value (Rmin) for the minimum of the gradient is respectively determined from the detected current-voltage characteristic and a desired value for the operating point is determined by addition of a predefined offset value (Roffset) to the characteristic value, and wherein the fuel cell stack (1) is regulated by the desired value determined in this manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrooptical device comprising a semiconductor substrate having a front side and a back side, at least one photonic component arranged on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, the photonic component comprising an active layer made of a non-linear optical material, wherein at least one cavity, extends through the semiconductor substrate and connects the active layer on the front side of the semiconductor substrate with the back side of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for data storage. A hierarchical storage management architecture is presented to facilitate data management. The disclosed system provides methods for evaluating the state of stored data relative to enterprise needs by using weighted parameters that may be user defined. Also disclosed are systems and methods evaluating costing and risk management associated with stored data.

Abstract: A method for producing a metallic interconnector for a fuel cell stack, including an air guiding surface with a first gas distributor structure and a fuel gas guiding surface with a second gas distributor structure, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure each formed by grooves and webs, includes providing a sheet metal blank, forming the sheet metal blank by a plastic molding process, the first gas distributor structure and the second gas distributor structure being formed in such a manner that the grooves and webs of the first gas distributor structure are arranged complementary to the grooves and webs of the second gas distributor structure at a predeterminable percentage of area of the air guiding surface and the fuel gas guiding surface of at least 50% and at most 99%.