Abstract: The present invention relates to a photodetector array for capturing image data, comprising: —photodetector cells arranged on a substrate, each including a single-photon avalanche diode, wherein the active areas of the photodetector cells are neighbored along a hexagonal grid; —microlenses, having a hexagonal or circular shape, each arranged on one photodetector cell to focus light onto the photodiode.

Abstract: A light microscope has a light source for illuminating a specimen, a sensor array comprised of photon-counting detector elements for measuring detection light coming from the specimen, and a control device for controlling the sensor array. The control device is configured for flexibly binning the photon-counting detector elements into one or more super-pixels.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image sensor comprising a photodetector array including neighboring photodetector elements, each photodetector element comprising: —a photodetector cell having a photodiode and a reset unit; —a cell control unit coupled with the photodetector cell and configured to reset the photodiode by means of the reset unit; wherein the cell control unit is configured to asynchronously effect resetting of the photodiode after a given dead time after detection of a photon.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer programming products for machine learning with a LSTM accelerator are provided. The LSTM accelerator may comprise a finite state machine (FSM) configured with a plurality of states comprising a machine learning algorithm; a weight memory configured to at least store a plurality of weights and a plurality of biases; one or more activation registers; a hidden state memory; and a plurality of processing elements. The LSTM accelerator may apply the machine learning algorithm of the FSM by performing a plurality of operations with the plurality of processing elements including one or more matrix-vector multiplication operations, vector-vector multiplication operations, vector-vector addition operations, and non-linear activation operations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated imaging system. The integrated imaging system includes an array of analog photomultiplier elements. The integrated imaging system includes a plurality of submodules, each submodule having a number of the photomultiplier elements. The integrated imaging system includes a plurality of time-to-digital converters each associated and coupled with one of the submodules. The plurality of time-to-digital converters are configured to provide a respective timing information.

Abstract: A photon detecting 3D imaging sensor device for detecting a distance information for pixels in an image includes an array of detector units. Each detector unit is configured to receive a light signal pulse and to provide a detection signal pulse on receipt of the light signal pulse. The 3D imaging device further includes a pulse selection unit including a decision tree with one or more stages. Each of the stages has one or more decision makers which are cascaded to propagate the earliest detection signal pulse of one of a respective detector unit as a timing signal. The 3D imaging device further includes a time-to-digital converter configured to receive the timing signal and to provide a time stamp depending on the timing signal. The time stamp indicates the distance information for a pixel of the image.

Abstract: A light microscope has a light source for illuminating a specimen, a photon-counting detector array with a plurality of photon-counting detector elements for measuring detection light coming from the specimen, wherein the photon-counting detector elements are configured to output respective measured photon count rates, and a control device for controlling the photon-counting detector array. The control device is configured to individually influence the measurable photon count rates which are simultaneously measurable with different photon-counting detector elements and/or which are consecutively measurable with the same photon-counting detector element. Furthermore, in an imaging method the measurable photon count rates of photon-counting detector elements are individually influenced to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for the photon-counting detector array.

Abstract: A system for photon correlation of an illuminated object and/or a light source is provided. The system includes a light source for illuminating the object and an optical system having an object-facing side configured to face the object or the light source and a projection side with the projection side having a focal plane. The system also includes a single-chip single photon avalanche photodiode (SPAD) array arranged at the focal plane and a timing circuit associated with the single-chip SPAD array for measuring arrival times of photons detected by the single-chip SPAD array.

Abstract: A method for operating a light microscope comprises emitting and guiding a plurality of illumination light beams towards a specimen (6) to form a plurality of separated illumination light spots (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) at the specimen; and guiding detection light beams (11) coming from the illumination light spots (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) to a detector (10) comprising a plurality of sensor arrays (31-34). Each sensor array (31-34) comprises photon-counting detector elements (40), and detection light beams (11) from different illumination light spots (2A, 2B, 2C, 2D) are guided to different sensor arrays (31-34). Measured signals from the sensor arrays (31-34) are analysed to determine positional information about the light spots (15) on the sensor arrays (31 -34). It is adjusted where the light spots (15) hit the sensor arrays (31-34) based on the positional information. A corresponding light microscope is furthermore disclosed.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing vias in a silicon wafer, the silicon wafer having a <110> crystal orientation, and having a <111> plane that is perpendicular to a surface of the wafer, tilted by 35.26°, the method comprising the steps of providing a mask having a rhomboidal-shaped opening onto a surface of the silicon wafer, such that edges of the rhomboidal-shaped opening line up with a <111> plane of a crystalline structure of the silicon wafer, etching a hole in the silicon wafer at the rhomboidal-shaped opening, and polishing the hole after the etching by a anisotropic etching.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a photodetector array for capturing image data, comprising: photodetector cells arranged on a substrate, each including a single-photon avalanche diode, wherein the active areas of the photodetector cells are neighbored along a hexagonal grid; microlenses, having a hexagonal or circular shape, each arranged on one photodetector cell to focus light onto the photodiode.

Abstract: The invention relates to an image sensor comprising a photodetector array including neighboring photodetector elements, each photodetector element comprising:—a photodetector cell having a photodiode and a reset unit;—a cell control unit coupled with the photodetector cell and configured to reset the photodiode by means of the reset unit; wherein the cell control unit is configured to asynchronously effect resetting of the photodiode after a given dead time after detection of a photon.

Abstract: A light microscope has a light source for illuminating a specimen, a sensor array comprised of photon-counting detector elements for measuring detection light coming from the specimen, and a control device for controlling the sensor array. The control device is configured for flexibly binning the photon-counting detector elements into one or more super-pixels.

Abstract: A system for photon correlation of an illuminated object and/or a light source, including a light source for illuminating the object or to correlate, an optical system having an object-facing side configured to face the object or the light source and a projection side, the projection side having a focal plane, a single-chip single photon avalanche photodiode (SPAD) array arranged at the focal plane, and a timing circuit associated with the single-chip SPAD array for measuring arrival times of photons detected by the single-chip SPAD array.

Abstract: A reconfigurable logic circuit comprises first, second and third switching circuits arranged for receiving first, second and third input bits, respectively, and each arranged for being configured in a mode wherein the corresponding input bit is passed on or in a mode; a first exclusive OR logic block operable on the outputs of the first, second and third switching circuits and arranged to output a sum bit; fourth, fifth and sixth switching circuits arranged for receiving a fourth, fifth and sixth input bits and arranged for being configured in a mode; first, second and third AND logic blocks, each arranged for receiving a different pair of the outputs of certain switching circuits; a second exclusive OR logic block operable on the outputs of certain AND logic blocks and arranged to produce a carry output bit.

Abstract: Quantum circuit assemblies that employ active pulse shaping in order to be able to control states of a plurality of qubits with signal pulses propagated over a shared signal propagation channel are disclosed. An example quantum circuit assembly includes a quantum circuit component that includes a first qubit, associated with a first frequency to control the state of the first qubit, and a second qubit, associated with a second frequency to control the state of the second qubit. A shared transmission channel is coupled to the first and second qubits. The assembly further includes a signal pulse generation circuit, configured to generate a signal pulse to be propagated over the shared transmission channel to control the state of the first qubit, where the signal pulse has a center frequency at the first frequency, a bandwidth that includes the second frequency, and a notch at the second frequency.

Abstract: A light microscope has a light source for illuminating a specimen, a photon-counting detector array with a plurality of photon-counting detector elements for measuring detection light coming from the specimen, wherein the photon-counting detector elements are configured to output respective measured photon count rates, and a control device for controlling the photon-counting detector array. The control device is configured to individually influence the measurable photon count rates which are simultaneously measurable with different photon-counting detector elements and/or which are consecutively measurable with the same photon-counting detector element. Furthermore, in an imaging method the measurable photon count rates of photon-counting detector elements are individually influenced to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for the photon-counting detector array.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing vias in a silicon wafer, the silicon wafer having a <110> crystal orientation, and having a <111> plane that is perpendicular to a surface of the wafer, tilted by 35.26°, the method comprising the steps of providing a mask having a rhomboidal-shaped opening onto a surface of the silicon wafer, such that edges of the rhomboidal-shaped opening line up with a <111> plane of a crystalline structure of the silicon wafer, etching a hole in the silicon wafer at the rhomboidal-shaped opening, and polishing the hole after the etching by a anisotropic etching.

Abstract: The invention relates to a photon detecting 3D imaging sensor device for detecting a distance information for pixels in an image, comprising: an array of detector units, wherein each detector unit is configured to receive a light signal pulse and to provide a detection signal pulse on receipt of a light signal pulse; a pulse selection unit including a decision tree with one or more stages, wherein each of the stages has one or more decision makers which are cascaded to propagate the earliest detection signal pulse of one of a respective detector unit as a timing signal; a time-to-digital converter configured to receive the timing signal and to provide a time stamp depending on the timing signal wherein the time stamp indicates the distance information for a pixel of the image.

Abstract: A reconfigurable logic circuit comprises first, second and third switching circuits arranged for receiving first, second and third input bits, respectively, and each arranged for being configured in a mode wherein the corresponding input bit is passed on or in a mode; a first exclusive OR logic block operable on the outputs of the first, second and third switching circuits and arranged to output a sum bit; fourth, fifth and sixth switching circuits arranged for receiving a fourth, fifth and sixth input bits and arranged for being configured in a mode; first, second and third AND logic blocks, each arranged for receiving a different pair of the outputs of certain switching circuits; a second exclusive OR logic block operable on the outputs of certain AND logic blocks and arranged to produce a carry output bit.