Abstract: A symmetrical vertical Hall element comprises a well of a first conductivity type that is embedded in a substrate of a second conductivity type and which is contacted by four contacts serving as current and voltage contacts. From the electrical point of view, such a Hall element with four contacts can be regarded as a resistance bridge formed by four resistors R1 to R4 of the Hall element. From the electrical point of view, the Hall element is then regarded as ideal when the four resistors R1 to R4 have the same value. The invention suggests a series of measures in order to electrically balance the resistance bridge. A first measure exists in providing at least one additional resistor. A second measure exists in locally increasing or reducing the electrical conductivity of the well. A third measure exists in providing two Hall elements that are electrically connected in parallel in such a way that their Hall voltages are equidirectional and their offset voltages are largely compensated.

Abstract: An integrated imager circuit having a monolithic array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) for capturing an image of a scene when said scene is hit by an optical pulse. The array has a plurality of SPADs connected to 2D readout circuits which determines the intensity of the light reflected by the scene by counting the number of photons received by the SPADs during a period of time. A plurality of SPADs connected to 3D readout circuits determines the distance to the scene by determining the elapsed time between the emission of each pulse and reception of the corresponding reflected photons.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for identifying luminescent molecules according to the fluorescence correlation spectroscopy method.

Abstract: An integrated imager circuit comprising a monolithic array of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) for capturing an image of a scene when said scene is hit by an optical pulse, said array comprising: a plurality of SPADs connected to 2D readout circuits determines the intensity of the light reflected by said scene by counting the number of photons received by said SPADs during a period of time, a plurality of SPADs connected to 3D readout circuits determines the distance to said scene by determining the elapsed time between the emission of each pulse and reception of the corresponding reflected photons.

Abstract: A symmetrical vertical Hall element comprises a well of a first conductivity type that is embedded in a substrate of a second conductivity type and which is contacted by four contacts serving as current and voltage contacts. From the electrical point of view, such a Hall element with four contacts can be regarded as a resistance bridge formed by four resistors R1 to R4 of the Hall element. From the electrical point of view, the Hall element is then regarded as ideal when the four resistors R1 to R4 have the same value. The invention suggests a series of measures in order to electrically balance the resistance bridge. A first measure exists in providing at least one additional resistor. A second measure exists in locally increasing or reducing the electrical conductivity of the well. A third measure exists in providing two Hall elements that are electrically connected in parallel in such a way that their Hall voltages are equidirectional and their offset voltages are largely compensated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing optical 3R regeneration involving: 1) generating an encoded optical clock signal from at least an optical signal; 2) introducing the encoded clock signal into a delay interference section of a regenerator such that an amplitude modulated clock signal is produced; andoutputting the amplitude modulated clock signal wherein the output amplitude modulated clock signal preserves information present within the input optical signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing optical 3R regeneration involving: 1) generating an encoded optical clock signal from at least an optical signal; 2) introducing the encoded clock signal into a delay interference section of a regenerator such that an amplitude modulated clock signal is produced; andoutputting the amplitude modulated clock signal wherein the output amplitude modulated clock signal preserves information present within the input optical signal.

Abstract: New, compact optical--optical switches and/or wavelength converters manufacturable with good tolerances and evincing all or some of the following properties,compactnessgood ON/OFF switching ratiospossibility of cascading and bidirectional operationpolarization-independence feasibilityvery fast switchingare being developed.This requires developing components making use of different-order modes to mix the information signal and the control signal and to separate them. The compact Converter Combiner MMIs of the invention make possible:1. converting a first fundamental mode into first-order modes,2. superposing the first-order modes and the images of a second fundamental mode,3. the MMI operates simultaneously as mode splitter for the participating modes.Back-conversion of the generated modes of higher order into their initial modes also is possible.

Abstract: An optical device, such as for example a wavelength division multiplexer/demultiplexer, a wavelength router, an optical comb filter or a planar lens, having a first coupler and a second coupler which are connected by an array of optical waveguide channels. At least one of the couplers is a multimode imaging component (MMI), which has the property that the radiation distribution at any input thereof is imaged onto each of the coupler outputs and with uniform power distribution among the outputs. Efficient power transfer in thereby achieved. Phase differences between the inputs and the outputs are compensated by appropriate differences in optical pathlength of neighboring channels in the array.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of integrated optics and communication techniques. In these fields, integrated, compact passive beam splitters and combiners are of great importance. These optical functions can be fulfilled by means of multimode interference (MMI) couplers. A given number of inputs is evenly distributed to all outputs. These components have wide manufacturing tolerances and are substantially independent of polarization. In the conventional MMI couplers with parallel sides, the intensity and phase distribution at the output are fixed. However, since in many applications, these distributions must be influenced in a controlled manner, the invention provides a method of changing the intensity and phase distributions at the outputs of MMI couplers in a controlled manner. The conventional MMI couplers are first split up into sections. Each section is then separately transformed so that the self-imaging properties are maintained. At the end, the sections are arranged in series again.