Abstract: A monolithic fluid sensor system includes a sensor arrangement and a reference sensor arrangement that are monolithically arranged, wherein respective substrates or semiconductor substrates (wafers or semiconductor wafers) are bonded (fusion bonded or wafer bonded on wafer-level) to each other for providing the resulting monolithic fluid sensor system. The monolithic fluid sensor system particularly includes the sensor arrangement, a cover substrate, the reference sensor arrangement, and a reference cover substrate.

Abstract: A MEMS component is described herein, which according to one exemplary embodiment includes: a semiconductor body; an insulation layer arranged on the semiconductor body; a boundary structure arranged on the insulation layer, the semiconductor body including an opening below the boundary structure; first and second structured electrodes arranged on the insulation layer; and a piezoelectric layer comprising a thermoplastic, and at least partially bounded by the boundary structure and arranged on the insulation layer and on the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: An optical resonator system includes a multi-strip waveguide structure having spaced semiconductor strips for guiding an IR radiation, a STP resonance structure (STP=slab tamm-plasmon-polariton), wherein the STP resonance structure includes an alternating arrangement of semiconductor strips and interjacent dielectric strips and includes a metal strip adjacent to the semiconductor strip at a boundary region of the STP resonance structure, wherein the metal strip and the adjacent semiconductor strip are arranged to provide a metal-semiconductor interface, and wherein the semiconductor strips of the multi-strip waveguide structure and the semiconductor strips of the STP resonance structure are arranged perpendicular to each other, and an optical coupling structure having a semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer is arranged between the multi-strip waveguide structure and the STP resonance structure for optically coupling the IR radiation between the multi-strip waveguide structure and the STP resona

Abstract: A MEMS structure including a latch, a first lever, and a second lever. The first lever is designed to move past the latch as a result of flexure in the event of a change in a parameter in a first direction, and to latch in place at the latch if a change in the parameter in a second direction different than the first direction subsequently takes place. The second lever is designed to move past the first lever as a result of flexure in the event of the change in the parameter in the second direction, and to latch in place at the first lever if a change in the parameter in the first direction takes place after the change in the parameter in the second direction.

Abstract: A fluid sensor for performing a reference measurement includes a support structure having a top main surface region; a thermal emitter on the top main surface region of the support structure; a first waveguide section and a first thermal radiation detector on the top main surface region of the support structure; and a cover structure on at least one part of the first waveguide section. The first waveguide section guides a first portion of the thermal radiation emitted by the thermal emitter to the first thermal radiation detector. The first thermal radiation detector detects the guided first portion of the thermal radiation for performing the reference measurement.

Abstract: A fluid sensor includes a support structure having a top main surface region; a thermal emitter on the top main surface region of the support structure; a thermal radiation detector on the top main surface region of the support structure; and a waveguide structure having a first and a second waveguide section on the top main surface region of the support structure. The first waveguide section guides a first portion of the thermal radiation to the thermal radiation detector and the second waveguide section guides a second portion of the thermal radiation to the thermal radiation detector. The waveguide structure enables an interaction of an evanescence field of the guided first and/or second portion of the thermal radiation with a surrounding fluid.

Abstract: A fluid sensor includes a substrate having a top main surface region, wherein the top main surface region of the substrate forms a common system plane of the fluid sensor, a thermal radiation emitter on the top main surface region of the substrate, an optical filter structure on the top main surface region of the substrate, a waveguide on the main top surface region of the substrate, and a thermal radiation detector on the top main surface region of the substrate, wherein the thermal radiation detector provides a detector output signal based on a radiation strength of the filtered thermal radiation received from the waveguide.

Abstract: An emitter for emitting electromagnetic radiation includes a first region for thermally generating electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first region includes a first photonic crystal of the type having a first periodical structure with first holes having a first dimension and being at a first periodicity, so as to define a first dimension-to-periodicity ratio; and a second region for filtering the electromagnetic radiation generated in the first region, wherein the second region includes a second photonic crystal of the type having a second periodical structure with second holes having a second dimension and being at a second periodicity, so as to define a second dimension-to-periodicity ratio, wherein the second dimension-to-periodicity ratio is different from the first dimension-to-periodicity ratio.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a bandpass transmission filter having a center wavelength of transmission includes: a waveguide structure comprising a grating structure having changing grating pitch values configured to diffract radiation in the waveguide structure having a first wavelength lower than the center wavelength of transmission, and configured to reflect radiation in the waveguide structure having a second wavelength higher than the center wavelength of transmission; and a radiation absorbing structure configured to absorb radiation guided by the waveguide structure having a third wavelength higher than the second wavelength, wherein the radiation absorbing structure is an integrated part of the waveguide structure or comprises a layer arranged adjacent to the waveguide structure.

Abstract: A MEMS component includes a semiconductor substrate stack having a first semiconductor substrate and a second semiconductor substrate, wherein the semiconductor substrate stack has a cavity formed within the first and second semiconductor substrates, and wherein at least the first or the second semiconductor substrate has an access opening for gas exchange between the cavity and an environment. A radiation source is arranged at the first semiconductor substrate, and a radiation detector is arranged at the second semiconductor substrate. Two mutually spaced apart reflection elements are arranged in a beam path between the radiation source and the radiation detector, wherein one reflection element is partly transmissive to the emitted radiation from the cavity in the direction of the radiation detector, and wherein an interspace between the two mutually spaced apart reflection elements has a length that is at least ten times the wavelength of the emitted radiation.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a gas sensor includes a substrate having a cavity for providing an optical interaction path; a thermal emitter configured to emit broadband IR radiation; a wavelength selective structure configured to filter the broadband IR radiation emitted by the thermal emitter; and an IR detector configured to provide a detector output signal based on a strength of the filtered IR radiation having traversed the optical interaction path.

Abstract: Techniques (e.g., implemented in devices, methods and/or in non-transitory storage units) are used for confining wavelengths, e.g., using a pillar photonic crystal. A semiconductor device includes a pillar photonic crystal including a structure and a plurality of pillars extending from the structure in a height direction, wherein the plurality of pillars form at least one waveguide for electromagnetic radiation at a specific wavelength, the at least one waveguide extending in at least one planar direction, wherein the structure includes a confining layer in doped semiconductor material to support propagation of surface plasmon polaritons.

Abstract: Techniques (e.g., implemented in devices, methods and/or in non-transitory storage units) are used for confining wavelengths, e.g., using a pillar photonic crystal. A semiconductor device includes a pillar photonic crystal including a structure and a plurality of pillars extending from the structure in a height direction, wherein the plurality of pillars form at least one waveguide for electromagnetic radiation at a specific wavelength, the at least one waveguide extending in at least one planar direction, wherein the structure includes a confining layer in doped semiconductor material to support propagation of surface plasmon polaritons.

Abstract: An emitter for emitting electromagnetic radiation includes a first region for thermally generating electromagnetic radiation, wherein the first region includes a first photonic crystal of the type having a first periodical structure with first holes having a first dimension and being at a first periodicity, so as to define a first dimension-to-periodicity ratio; and a second region for filtering the electromagnetic radiation generated in the first region, wherein the second region includes a second photonic crystal of the type having a second periodical structure with second holes having a second dimension and being at a second periodicity, so as to define a second dimension-to-periodicity ratio, wherein the second dimension-to-periodicity ratio is different from the first dimension-to-periodicity ratio.

Abstract: A fluid sensor includes a substrate having a top main surface region, wherein the top main surface region of the substrate forms a common system plane of the fluid sensor, a thermal radiation emitter on the top main surface region of the substrate, an optical filter structure on the top main surface region of the substrate, a waveguide on the main top surface region of the substrate, and a thermal radiation detector on the top main surface region of the substrate, wherein the thermal radiation detector provides a detector output signal based on a radiation strength of the filtered thermal radiation received from the waveguide.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a gas sensor includes a substrate having a cavity for providing an optical interaction path; a thermal emitter configured to emit broadband IR radiation; a wavelength selective structure configured to filter the broadband IR radiation emitted by the thermal emitter; and an IR detector configured to provide a detector output signal based on a strength of the filtered IR radiation having traversed the optical interaction path.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a bandpass transmission filter having a center wavelength of transmission includes: a waveguide structure comprising a grating structure having changing grating pitch values configured to diffract radiation in the waveguide structure having a first wavelength lower than the center wavelength of transmission, and configured to reflect radiation in the waveguide structure having a second wavelength higher than the center wavelength of transmission; and a radiation absorbing structure configured to absorb radiation guided by the waveguide structure having a third wavelength higher than the second wavelength, wherein the radiation absorbing structure is an integrated part of the waveguide structure or comprises a layer arranged adjacent to the waveguide structure.

Abstract: A micromechanical structure in accordance with various embodiments may include: a substrate; and a functional structure arranged at the substrate; wherein the functional structure includes a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region; and wherein at least a section of the functional region has an elastic modulus in the range from about 5 GPa to about 70 GPa.

Abstract: Aspects of a microelectromechanical device, an array of microelectromechanical devices, a method of manufacturing a microelectromechanical device, and a method of operating a microelectromechanical device, are discussed herein. The microelectromechanical device may include: a substrate; a diaphragm mechanically coupled to the substrate, the diaphragm comprising a stressed region to buckle the diaphragm into one of two geometrically stable positions; an actuator mechanically coupled to the diaphragm, the actuator comprising a piezoelectric layer over the diaphragm; a controller configured to provide an electrical control signal in response to a digital sound input; wherein the actuator is configured to receive the electrical control signal to exert a mechanical piezoelectric force on the diaphragm via the piezoelectric layer to move the diaphragm to create a sound wave.

Abstract: A MEMS structure including a latch, a first lever, and a second lever. The first lever is designed to move past the latch as a result of flexure in the event of a change in a parameter in a first direction, and to latch in place at the latch if a change in the parameter in a second direction different than the first direction subsequently takes place. The second lever is designed to move past the first lever as a result of flexure in the event of the change in the parameter in the second direction, and to latch in place at the first lever if a change in the parameter in the first direction takes place after the change in the parameter in the second direction.