Abstract: In an embodiment a pressure sensor device includes a substrate body, a pressure sensor having a membrane and a cap body having at least one opening, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged between the substrate body and the cap body in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to a main plane of extension of the substrate body, and wherein the mass of the substrate body amounts to at least 80% of the mass of the cap body and at most 120% of the mass of the cap body.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical sensor is provided. The method comprises providing an optical sensor arrangement which comprises at least two optical sensor elements on a carrier, where the optical sensor arrangement comprises a light entrance surface at the side of the optical sensor elements facing away from the carrier. The method further comprises forming a trench between two optical sensor elements in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the carrier, where the trench extends from the light entrance surface of the sensor arrangement at least to the carrier. Moreover, the method comprises coating the trench with an opaque material, forming electrical contacts for the at least two optical sensor elements on a back side of the carrier facing away from the optical sensor elements, and forming at least one optical sensor by dicing the optical sensor arrangement along the trench.

Abstract: An intermetal dielectric and metal layers embedded in the intermetal dielectric are arranged on a substrate of semiconductor material. A via hole is formed in the substrate, and a metallization contacting a contact area of one of the metal layers is applied in the via hole. The metallization, the metal layer comprising the contact area and the intermetal dielectric are partially removed at the bottom of the via hole in order to form a hole penetrating the intermetal dielectric and extending the via hole. A continuous passivation is arranged on sidewalls within the via hole and the hole, and the metallization contacts the contact area around the hole. Thus the presence of a thin membrane of layers, which is usually formed at the bottom of a hollow through-substrate via, is avoided.

Abstract: Capacitive pressure sensors and other devices are disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a cavity over the first electrode and a second electrode including a suspended membrane over the cavity and electrically conductive anchor trenches laterally surrounding the cavity, wherein the anchor trenches include an inner anchor trench and an outer anchor trench, the outer anchor trench having rounded corners.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method for manufacturing a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) transducer device includes providing a substrate body with a surface, depositing an etch-stop layer (ESL) on the surface, depositing a sacrificial layer on the ESL, depositing a diaphragm layer on the sacrificial layer and removing the sacrificial layer, wherein depositing the sacrificial layer includes depositing a first sub-layer of a first material and depositing a second sub-layer of a second material, and wherein the first material and the second material are different materials.

Abstract: In an embodiment a method includes providing a semiconductor body, forming a sacrificial layer above a surface of the semiconductor body, applying a diaphragm on the sacrificial layer and removing the sacrificial layer by introducing an etchant into openings of the diaphragm, wherein applying the diaphragm comprises applying a first layer, reducing a roughness of a surface of the first layer facing away from the semiconductor body thereby providing a processed surface, and patterning and structuring the first layer to form the openings.

Abstract: In an embodiment a semiconductor transducer device includes a semiconductor body and a diaphragm having a first layer and a second layer, wherein a main extension plane of the diaphragm is arranged parallel to a surface of the semiconductor body, wherein the diaphragm is suspended at a distance from the semiconductor body in a direction perpendicular to the main extension plane of the diaphragm, wherein the second layer comprises titanium and/or titanium nitride, wherein the first layer comprises a material that is resistant to an etchant comprising fluorine or a fluorine compound, and wherein the second layer is arranged between the semiconductor body and the first layer.

Abstract: The semiconductor device for detection of radiation comprises a semiconductor substrate (1) with a main surface (11), a dielectric layer (6) comprising at least one compound of a semiconductor material, an integrated circuit (2) including at least one component sensitive to radiation (3), a wiring (4) of the integrated circuit embedded in an intermetal layer (8) of the dielectric layer (6), an electrically conductive through-substrate via (5) contacting the wiring, and an optical filter element (7) arranged immediately on the dielectric layer above the component sensitive to radiation. The dielectric layer comprises a passivation layer (9) at least above the through-substrate via, the passivation layer comprises a dielectric material that is different from the intermetal layer (8), and the wiring is arranged between the main surface and the passivation layer.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a planarized etch-stop layer, ESL, for a hydrofluoric acid, HF, vapor phase etching process. The method includes providing a first planarized layer on top of a surface of a substrate, the first planarized layer having a patterned and structured metallic material and a filling material. The method further includes comprises depositing on top of the first planarized layer the planarized ESL of an ESL material with low HF etch rate, wherein the planarized ESL has a low surface roughness and a thickness of less than 150 nm, in particular of less than 100 nm.

Abstract: A substrate is provided with a dielectric, a metal layer embedded in the dielectric, and a metallic layer arranged on the metal layer between the substrate and the metal layer. A via hole is formed in the substrate and in a region of the dielectric that is between the substrate and the metal layer. An insulation layer is applied in the via hole and removed from above a contact area of the metal layer, and the metallic layer is completely removed from the contact area. A metallization is applied in the via hole on the contact area.

Abstract: Capacitive pressure sensors and other devices are disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a cavity over the first electrode and a second electrode including a suspended membrane over the cavity and electrically conductive anchor trenches laterally surrounding the cavity, wherein the anchor trenches include an inner anchor trench and an outer anchor trench, the outer anchor trench having rounded corners.

Abstract: An exoskeleton system includes a first exoskeleton unit configured to support a first body part, a second exoskeleton unit configured to support a second body part, and a control device. The first exoskeleton unit and the second exoskeleton unit are mechanically decoupled from each other. The control device is configured to control, based on a control model, at least one of the first exoskeleton unit and the second exoskeleton unit. The control model is based on a multibody system that models the first exoskeleton unit, the second exoskeleton unit, and at least one of the first body part and the second body part.

Abstract: A capacitive sensor is disclosed. In an embodiment a semiconductor device includes a die including a capacitive pressure sensor integrated on a CMOS circuit, wherein the capacitive pressure sensor includes a first electrode and a second electrode separated from one another by a cavity, the second electrode including a suspended tensile membrane, and wherein the first electrode is composed of one or more aluminum-free layers containing Ti.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical sensor is provided. The method comprises providing an optical sensor arrangement which comprises at least two optical sensor elements on a carrier, where the optical sensor arrangement comprises a light entrance surface at the side of the optical sensor elements facing away from the carrier. The method further comprises forming a trench between two optical sensor elements in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the carrier, where the trench extends from the light entrance surface of the sensor arrangement at least to the carrier. Moreover, the method comprises coating the trench with an opaque material, forming electrical contacts for the at least two optical sensor elements on a back side of the carrier facing away from the optical sensor elements, and forming at least one optical sensor by dicing the optical sensor arrangement along the trench.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate and a first metallization stack arranged on the substrate. The substrate has and/or carries a plurality of electronic circuit elements. The first metallization stack has electrically insulating layers and at least one metallization layer. The semiconductor device further has a second metallization stack arranged on the first metallization stack and comprising further electrically insulating layers and an optical waveguide layer. The optical waveguide layer has at least one optical waveguide structure. Furthermore, one of the electrically insulating layers and one of the further electrically insulating layers are in direct contact with each other and form a pair of directly bonded layers.

Abstract: A top surface of a substrate is provided with a detection element for detecting electromagnetic radiation. A refractive element is formed by a portion of a cover element, which is attached to the substrate, so that the refractive element is arranged facing the detection element. The refractive element may be arranged within a recess of the cover element, so that a cavity is formed between the detection element and the refraction element.

Abstract: A pressure sensor device comprises a substrate body, a pressure sensor comprising a membrane, and a cap body comprising at least one opening. The pressure sensor is arranged between the substrate body and the cap body in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the main plane of extension of the substrate body, and the mass of the substrate body equals approximately the mass of the cap body. Furthermore, a method for forming a pressure sensor device is provided.

Abstract: The semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor wafer with an integrated circuit, formed by a plurality of dies, a further semiconductor wafer, which differs from the semiconductor wafer in diameter and semiconductor material, the semiconductor wafer and the further semiconductor wafer being bonded to one another by means of a bonding layer, and an electrically conductive contact layer arranged on the further semiconductor wafer opposite to the bonding layer.

Abstract: A photosensor (2) is arranged in a semiconductor substrate (1) at a main surface (10), a dielectric layer (4) is arranged on or above the main surface, the dielectric layer including a metal layer (6) electrically connected with the photosensor, and an aperture layer (16) formed from an opaque or semitransparent material is arranged on or above the dielectric layer. The aperture layer is provided with an array of transparent aperture zones (18) above the photosensor, each of the aperture zones penetrating the aperture layer.

Abstract: A top surface of a substrate is provided with a detection element for detecting electromagnetic radiation. A refractive element is formed by a portion of a cover element, which is attached to the substrate, so that the refractive element is arranged facing the detection element. The refractive element may be arranged within a recess of the cover element, so that a cavity is formed between the detection element and the refraction element.