Abstract: A light sensor device comprises a substrate (10) having a well (12) defined in one surface. At least one light sensor (14) is formed at the base of the well (12), and an optical light guide (18) in the form of a transparent tunnel (18) within an opaque body (20) extends from a top surface of the device down a sloped side wall of the well (12) to the location of the light sensor (14).

Abstract: A display device comprises a substrate which carries an array of pixels. Each pixel comprises an array of apertures in the substrate, each aperture of the array having a maximum opening dimension less than the wavelength of the light to be transmitted through the aperture. The effective dielectric constant of the aperture and/or the dielectric constant of the substrate is varied, thereby to vary the light transmission characteristics of the pixel between transmission of at least one frequency in the visible spectrum and transmission of substantially no frequency in the visible spectrum.

Abstract: A method of determining the dominant output wavelength of an LED, includes determining an electrical characteristic of the LED which is dependent on the voltage-capacitance characteristics, and analyzing the characteristic to determine the dominant output wavelength.

Abstract: An IR sensor comprises a heat sink substrate (10) having portions (12) of relatively high thermal conductivity and portions (14) of relatively low thermal conductivity and a planar thermocouple layer (16) having a hot junction (18) and a cold junction (20), with the hot junction (18) located on a portion (14) of the heat sink substrate with relatively low thermal conductivity. A low thermal conductivity dielectric layer (22) is provided over the thermocouple layer (16), and has a via (24) leading to the hot junction (18). An IR reflector layer (26) covers the low thermal conductivity dielectric layer (22) and the side walls of the via (24). An IR absorber (30; 30?) is within the via. This structure forms a planar IR microsensor which uses a structured substrate and a dielectric layer to avoid the need for any specific packaging. This design provides a higher sensitivity by providing a focus on the thermocouple, and also gives better immunity to gas conduction and convection.

Abstract: A method of providing a dielectric material (18) having regions (18?, 18?) with a varying thickness in an IC manufacturing process is disclosed. The method comprises forming a plurality of patterns in respective regions (20?, 20?) of the dielectric material (18), each pattern increasing the susceptibility of the dielectric material (18) to a dielectric material removal step by a predefined amount and exposing the dielectric material (18) to the dielectric material removal step.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of controlling a LED, comprising driving the LED with a DC current for a first time, interrupting the DC current for a second time such that the first time and the second time sum to a period, determining at least one characteristic of the LED while the DC current is interrupted, and controlling the DC current during a subsequent period in dependence on the at least one characteristic. The invention thus benefits from the simplicity of DC operation. By operating at the LED in a DC mode, rather than say in a PWM mode, the requirement to be able to adjust the duty cycle is avoided. By including interruptions to the DC current, it is possible to utilize the LED itself to act as a sensor in order to determine a characteristic of the LED. The need for additional sensors is thereby avoided.

Abstract: A method of estimating the junction temperature of a light emitting diode comprises driving a forward bias current through the diode, the current comprising a square wave which toggles between high and low current values (Ihigh, llow), the high current value (lhigh) comprising an LED operation current, and the low current value (ILOW) comprising a non-zero measurement current. The forward bias voltage drop (Vf) is sampled and the forward bias voltage drop (Vflow) is determined at the measurement current (ILOW)—The temperature is derived from the determined forward bias voltage drop.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a luminescent component (30) and a manufacturing method thereof. The luminescent component (30) comprises a first transparent carrier (18), a second transparent carrier (24), a substrate (10) sandwiched between said transparent carriers (18; 24), the substrate (10) comprising a conduit from the first transparent layer (18) to the second transparent carrier (24), the conduit being filled with a luminescent solution (20). This facilitates the use of colloidal solutions of quantum dots in such a luminescent component (30). Preferably, the substrate (10) is direct bonded to the transparent carriers (18, 24) using direct wafer bonding techniques.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one measuring cell (10) is disclosed. The measuring cell comprises a first cavity (16 and a second cavity (18) perpendicular to the first cavity, the first cavity and the second cavity comprising an overlap at first respective ends and a reflective surface (20) at the opposite respective ends. A beam splitter (15) is located in the overlap and an electromagnetic radiation source (12) is arranged to project a beam of electromagnetic radiation onto the beam splitter (15) such that the beam is projected into each of the cavities. A phase detector (22) for detecting a phase difference between the respective electromagnetic radiation reflected by the first and second cavity (16; 18) is also provided. In addition, the apparatus has a fluid channel (26), at least a part of which runs parallel to the first cavity (16) such that the electromagnetic radiation projected into the first cavity extends into said part of the fluid channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a manufacturing method of an integrated circuit (IC) comprising a substrate (10) comprising a pixelated element (12) and a light path (38) to the pixelated element (12). The IC comprises a first dielectric layer (14) covering the substrate (10) but not the pixilated element (12), a first metal layer (16) covering a part of the first dielectric layer (14), a second dielectric layer (18) covering a further part of first dielectric layer (14), a second metal layer (20) covering a part of the second dielectric layer (18) and extending over the pixelated element (12) and a part of the first metal layer (16), the first metal layer (16) and the second metal layer (20) forming an air-filled light path (38) to the pixelated element (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a calibration circuit, computer program product, and method of calibrating a junction temperature measurement of a semiconductor element, wherein respective forward voltages at junctions of the semiconductor element and a reference temperature sensor are measured, and an absolute ambient temperature is determined by using the reference temperature sensor, and the junction temperature of the semiconductor element is predicted based on the absolute ambient temperature and the measured forward voltages.

Abstract: Apparatus for regulating the temperature of a light emitting diode (LED). The apparatus includes a heat sink, an LED mount, and an LED mounted on the LED mount. The LED mount is configured to change shape in response to a change in temperature. The change in shape alters the position of the LED relative to the heat sink, for adjusting heat transfer between the LED and the heat sink. The LED mount may include a laminated portion such as a bi-metallic strip.

Abstract: A lighting unit comprises a packaging substrate (10) formed from a semiconductor, a channel (12) formed in the substrate and a discrete light emitting diode arrangement (34) in the channel. A surface region of the channel comprises doped semiconductor layers (20, 24) which define a light sensor. The arrangement provides a light sensor (which can be used to determine colour and/or output flux) for a LED unit, with the light sensor embedded in substrate used for packaging. This provides a low cost integration process and provides good registration between the light sensor and the LED output.

Abstract: A display device comprises a substrate which carries an array of pixels. Each pixel comprises an array of apertures in the substrate, each aperture of the array having a maximum opening dimension less than the wavelength of the light to be transmitted through the aperture. The effective dielectric constant of the aperture and/or the dielectric constant of the substrate is varied, thereby to vary the light transmission characteristics of the pixel between transmission of at least one frequency in the visible spectrum and transmission of substantially no frequency in the visible spectrum.

Abstract: A method is disclosed of controlling a LED, comprising driving the LED with a DC current for a first time, interrupting the DC current for a second time such that the first time and the second time sum to a period, determining at least one characteristic of the LED whilst the DC current is interrupted, and controlling the DC current during a subsequent period in dependence on the at least one characteristic. The invention thus benefits from the simplicity of DC operation. By operating at the LED in a DC mode, rather than say in a PWM mode, the requirement to be able to adjust the duty cycle is avoided. By including interruptions to the DC current, it is possible to utilise the LED itself to act as a sensor in order to determine a characteristic of the LED. The need for additional sensors is thereby avoided.

Abstract: An IR sensor comprises a heat sink substrate (10) having portions (12) of relatively high thermal conductivity and portions (14) of relatively low thermal conductivity and a planar thermocouple layer (16) having a hot junction (18) and a cold junction (20), with the hot junction (18) located on a portion (14) of the heat sink substrate with relatively low thermal conductivity. A low thermal conductivity dielectric layer (22) is provided over the thermocouple layer (16), and has a via (24) leading to the hot junction (18). An IR reflector layer (26) covers the low thermal conductivity dielectric layer (22) and the side walls of the via (24). An IR absorber (30; 30?) is within the via. This structure forms a planar IR microsensor which uses a structured substrate and a dielectric layer to avoid the need for any specific packaging. This design provides a higher sensitivity by providing a focus on the thermocouple, and also gives better immunity to gas conduction and convection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a calibration circuit, computer program product, and method of calibrating a junction temperature measurement of a semiconductor element, wherein respective forward voltages at junctions of the semiconductor element and a reference temperature sensor are measured, and an absolute ambient temperature is determined by using the reference temperature sensor, and the junction temperature of the semiconductor element is predicted based on the absolute ambient temperature and the measured forward voltages.

Abstract: A light sensor device comprises a substrate (10) having a well (12) defined in one surface. At least one light sensor (14) is formed at the base of the well (12), and an optical light guide (18) in the form of a transparent tunnel (18) within an opaque body (20) extends from a top surface of the device down a sloped side wall of the well (12) to the location of the light sensor (14).

Abstract: Apparatus for regulating the temperature of a light emitting diode (LED). The apparatus includes a heat sink, an LED mount, and an LED mounted on the LED mount. The LED mount is configured to change shape in response to a change in temperature. The change in shape alters the position of the LED relative to the heat sink, for adjusting heat transfer between the LED and the heat sink. The LED mount may include a laminated portion such as a bi-metallic strip.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one measuring cell (10) is disclosed. The measuring cell comprises a first cavity (16 and a second cavity (18) perpendicular to the first cavity, the first cavity and the second cavity comprising an overlap at first respective ends and a reflective surface (20) at the opposite respective ends. A beam splitter (15) is located in the overlap and an electromagnetic radiation source (12) is arranged to project a beam of electromagnetic radiation onto the beam splitter (15) such that the beam is projected into each of the cavities. A phase detector (22) for detecting a phase difference between the respective electromagnetic radiation reflected by the first and second cavity (16; 18) is also provided. In addition, the apparatus has a fluid channel (26), at least a part of which runs parallel to the first cavity (16) such that the electromagnetic radiation projected into the first cavity extends into said part of the fluid channel.