Abstract: A microstructured infrared sensor includes: a sensor chip having a diaphragm; a cavity formed underneath the diaphragm; a thermopile structure formed on the diaphragm and having bonded printed conductors; an absorber layer formed on the thermopile structure for absorbing infrared radiation; and a cap chip attached to the sensor chip. A sensor space is formed between the cap chip and the sensor chip, and the sensor space accommodates the thermopile structure. The infrared sensor also includes a convex lens area for focusing incident infrared radiation onto the absorber layer. The lens area may be formed on the top of the cap chip or on a lens chip attached to the cap chip. The lens area may be formed by drying a dispensed lacquer droplet, or by a softened, structured lacquer cylinder, or by subsequent etching of the dried lacquer droplet and the surrounding substrate material.

Abstract: A method is proposed for producing three-dimensional structures, especially microlenses, in a substrate using an etching process, at least one original shape having a known original surface shape being present initially on the substrate in a plurality of places. The etching process has at least one first etching removal rate a1 and a second etching removal rate a2 which are material-dependent, and of which at least one is changeable as a function of time. The original shape is converted to a target shape by the etching process, the original surface shape of the original shape and the target surface shape of the target shape to be reached being known before the beginning of the etching process. In order to achieve the target surface shape, at least one of the etching rates a2 or a1 is set by a change of at least one etching parameter calculated before the beginning of the etching process as a function of the etching time.

Abstract: A device for one-sided etching of a semiconductor wafer (silicon wafer) is proposed, which consists in the manner of an etching box of a trough-shaped basic body (3, 23) and a lid (2, 22) which matches the latter hermetically. The lid (2, 22) has on the topside an opening (5, 25) for the passage of the etching liquid. The etching box bears at least two O-rings (7, 8, 27, 28), of which one is arranged centrally in the basic body (3, 23) and the other centrally in the lid (2, 22). The wafer (1) is clamped between the O-rings (7, 8, 27, 28). A wire (10) connected to the wafer by means of a plate of a spring contact (11, 41) is guided out of the etching box through a bore (4) extending through the basic body (3, 23).