Abstract: An acoustic wave detector may include: an exterior housing with an exterior housing wall, a gas chamber located within the exterior housing and configured to receive a gas therein. The exterior housing wall may include an aperture providing a gas passage between the gas chamber and the exterior of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave detector may further include an excitation element configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating acoustic waves in the gas, and an acoustic wave sensor configured to detect the acoustic waves generated in the gas and acoustic waves generated outside of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave sensor may have an acoustic port overlapping with the aperture in the exterior housing wall.

Abstract: An analysis apparatus includes a gas chamber for receiving a gas to be analyzed, a source to emit radiation into the chamber. The radiation is to selectively excite molecules of the gas. The apparatus further includes a sensor to detect a physical variable which contains information about a degree of interaction between the radiation and the gas. The source includes a heatable planar radiation element to emit radiation and a housing with a first wall and a second wall which, therebetween, define and immediately delimit a radiation element receptacle chamber that is separated in a fluid-tight manner from the surroundings of the source. At least one of the first or second housing wall is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation that is emittable by the radiation element.

Abstract: An emitter structure includes a substrate with a membrane arrangement. The membrane arrangement includes at least one first membrane, a first heating path and a second heating path in different substrate planes. The first heating path and the second heating path are positioned with respect to one another such that a projection of the first heating path and a projection of the second heating path onto a common plane lie at least partly next to one another in the common plane.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a MEMS device includes a substrate, an electrically movable heating element having a first node coupled to a first terminal of a first voltage source and the second node coupled to a reference voltage source, a first anchor anchoring the first node and a second anchor anchoring the second node of the electrically movable heating element to the substrate, and a cavity between the first anchor and the second anchor and between the electrically movable heating element and the substrate.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a microelectromechanical systems MEMS transducer includes a deflectable membrane attached to a support structure, an acoustic valve structure configured to cause the deflectable membrane to be acoustically transparent in a first mode and acoustically visible in a second mode, and an actuating mechanism coupled to the deflectable membrane. Other embodiments include corresponding systems and apparatus, each configured to perform various embodiment methods.

Abstract: A gas analyzer is provided. The gas analyzer may include: a tubular housing having a housing wall extending along an axial direction of the tubular housing and surrounding a gas chamber configured to receive a gas to be analyzed therein, an excitation element positioned at a first axial end of the tubular housing and configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type that is to be detected in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating acoustic waves, and a sensor positioned at a second axial end of the tubular housing and configured to detect acoustic waves generated by the excitation element.

Abstract: According to various embodiments, a MEMS device includes a substrate, an electrically movable heating element having a first node coupled to a first terminal of a first voltage source and the second node coupled to a reference voltage source, a first anchor anchoring the first node and a second anchor anchoring the second node of the electrically movable heating element to the substrate, and a cavity between the first anchor and the second anchor and between the electrically movable heating element and the substrate.

Abstract: A MEMS component includes a MEMS sound transducer having a membrane structure and an assigned counterelectrode structure, and a circuit unit, which is electrically coupled to the MEMS sound transducer and which in a first operating mode of the MEMS sound transducer in the audio frequency range detects an audio output signal of the MEMS sound transducer on the basis of a deflection of the membrane structure relative to the counterelectrode structure, the deflection being brought about by an acoustic sound pressure change, and in a second operating mode of the MEMS sound transducer in the ultrasonic frequency range to drive and read the MEMS sound transducer as an ultrasonic transceiver.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a microelectromechanical systems MEMS device includes a first membrane attached to a support structure that a first plurality of acoustic vents; a second membrane attached to the support structure that includes a second plurality of acoustic vents, where the first plurality of acoustic vents and the second plurality of acoustic vents do not overlap; and a closing mechanism coupled to the first membrane and the second membrane.

Abstract: An acoustic wave detector may include: an exterior housing with an exterior housing wall, a gas chamber located within the exterior housing and configured to receive a gas therein. The exterior housing wall may include an aperture providing a gas passage between the gas chamber and the exterior of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave detector may further include an excitation element configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating acoustic waves in the gas, and an acoustic wave sensor configured to detect the acoustic waves generated in the gas and acoustic waves generated outside of the acoustic wave detector. The acoustic wave sensor may have an acoustic port overlapping with the aperture in the exterior housing wall.

Abstract: A photoacoustic gas detector may include: a gas chamber configured to receive a gas to be analyzed therein, an excitation element configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type that is to be detected in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating pressure differences, a sensor configured to detect pressure differences generated by the excitation element, and a pump configured to pump gas between the exterior of the photoacoustic gas detector and the gas chamber.

Abstract: A method for measuring the concentration of a gas includes heating a first gas with a pulse of light, the pulse of light having a wavelength absorbed by the first gas, wherein the first gas exerts pressure on a flexible membrane. The method includes receiving a first signal indicating a first deflection of the membrane, wherein the first deflection is due to a change in pressure of the first gas and receiving a second signal indicating a second deflection of the membrane occurring after the first signal, wherein the second deflection is due to the change in pressure of the first gas. The method includes determining a difference between the first signal and the second signal and, based on the difference between the first signal and the second signal, determining a first concentration of the first gas.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a micro-fabricated test structure includes a structure mechanically coupled between two rigid anchors and disposed above a substrate. The structure is released from the substrate and includes a test layer mechanically coupled between the two rigid anchors. The test layer includes a first region having a first cross-sectional area and a constricted region having a second cross-sectional area smaller than the first cross-sectional area. The structure also includes a first tensile stressed layer disposed on a surface of the test layer adjacent the first region.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method of operating a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) transducer that has a membrane includes transducing between out-of-plane deflection of the membrane and voltage on a first pair of electrostatic drive electrodes using the first pair of electrostatic drive electrodes. The first pair of electrostatic drive electrodes is formed on the membrane extending in an out-of-plane direction and form a variable capacitance between the first pair of electrostatic drive electrodes.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical loudspeaker may include: a plurality of elementary loudspeakers each including a drive unit and a diaphragm deflectable by the drive unit, and a controller configured to respectively supply control signals to the drive units. The drive units may be respectively configured to deflect the corresponding diaphragms according to the respective control signals supplied by the controller to generate acoustic waves. The control signal supplied to at least one control unit may have at least one local extremum and a global extremum of a curvature of the control signal with a highest absolute value of the curvature may be located at a position of the control signal preceding a position of the at least one local extremum of the control signal.

Abstract: An analysis apparatus includes a gas chamber for receiving a gas to be analysed, a source to emit radiation into the chamber. The radiation is to selectively excite molecules of the gas. The apparatus further includes a sensor to detect a physical variable which contains information about a degree of interaction between the radiation and the gas. The source includes a heatable planar radiation element to emit radiation and a housing with a first wall and a second wall which, therebetween, define and immediately delimit a radiation element receptacle chamber that is separated in a fluid-tight manner from the surroundings of the source. At least one of the first or second housing wall is transparent to the electromagnetic radiation that is emittable by the radiation element.

Abstract: A photoacoustic gas analyzer may include: a gas chamber configured to receive a gas to be analyzed therein, a radiation source configured to emit into the gas chamber electromagnetic radiation with a time-varying intensity adapted to selectively excite gas molecules of N mutually different gas types the concentrations of which are to be determined in the gas received in the gas chamber, thereby generating acoustic waves, an acoustic-wave sensor configured to detect acoustic waves generated by the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radiation source into the gas to be analyzed, and a control unit operatively connected to the radiation source and the acoustic-wave sensor.

Abstract: A gas analyzer may include: a gas chamber configured to receive a gas to be analyzed therein, a radiation source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation into the gas chamber, the electromagnetic radiation being adapted to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type that is to be detected in the gas received in the gas chamber, a collimator configured to collimate the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radiation source, and a sensor configured to detect a physical quantity indicative of a degree of interaction between the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radiation source and the gas to be analyzed.

Abstract: A photoacoustic gas detector may include: a gas chamber configured to receive a gas to be analyzed therein, an excitation element configured to selectively excite gas molecules of a specific type that is to be detected in the gas received in the gas chamber in a time-varying fashion, thereby generating pressure differences, a sensor configured to detect pressure differences generated by the excitation element, and a pump configured to pump gas between the exterior of the photoacoustic gas detector and the gas chamber.

Abstract: A method for temperature sensing and control of resistive heating elements includes providing a power signal to a heater, the power signal having pulse width modulated (PWM) power pulses, providing a measurement pulse to the heater, with the measurement pulse being between two PWM power pulses, measuring a voltage across the heater, and determining a resistance of the heater according to the voltage across the heater and a current of the measurement pulse. A temperature of the heater is determined according to the determined resistance of the heater.