Abstract: A sensor system having coupling structures is disclosed. The system includes an input coupling structure, an interaction region, and an output coupling structure. The input coupling structure is configured to receive emitted light at a selected coupling efficiency and may provide filtering of the emitted light for a selected wavelength. The interaction region is coupled to the input coupling structure and configured to interact the light from the input coupling structure with a specimen. The output coupling structure is coupled to the interaction region and configured to provide interacted light from the interaction region to the detector.

Abstract: A hole plate and a MEMS microphone arrangement are disclosed. In an embodiment a hole plate includes a substrate with a first main surface, a second main surface, and a lateral surface and a perforation structure formed within the substrate, the perforation structure having a plurality of through-holes through the substrate, wherein the through-holes and the lateral surface are a result of a simultaneous dry etching step.

Abstract: A sensor system having a multi-pass interaction region is disclosed. The system includes an input region, a multi-pass region, and an output region. The input region is configured to receive emitted light. The multi-pass region is coupled to the input region and is configured to absorb portions of the emitted light according to a specimen proximate the multi-pass region. The output region is coupled to the multi-pass region and is configured to provide interacted light from the multi-pass region.

Abstract: A method for structuring a substrate and a structured substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment a method includes providing a substrate with a first main surface and a second main surface, wherein the substrate is fixed to a carrier arrangement at the second main surface, performing a photolithography step at the first main surface of the substrate to mark a plurality of sites at the first main surface, the plurality of sites corresponding to future perforation structures and future kerf regions for a plurality of future individual semiconductor chips to be obtained from the substrate, and plasma etching the substrate at the plurality of sites until the carrier arrangement is reached, thus creating the perforation structures within the plurality of individual semiconductor chips and simultaneously separating the individual semiconductor chips along the kerf regions.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprises a plurality of quantum structures comprising predominantly germanium. The plurality of quantum structures are formed on a first semiconductor layer structure. The quantum structures of the plurality of quantum structures have a lateral dimension of less than 15 nm and an area density of at least 8×1011 quantum structures per cm2. The plurality of quantum structures are configured to emit light with a light emission maximum at a wavelength of between 2 ?m and 10 ?m or to absorb light with a light absorption maximum at a wavelength of between 2 ?m and 10 ?m.

Abstract: A micromechanical structure comprises a substrate and a functional structure arranged at the substrate. The functional structure comprises a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region. The functional structure comprises a carbon layer arrangement, wherein a basis material of the carbon layer arrangement is a carbon material.

Abstract: Plasmonic and photonic wavelength separation structures are provided for guiding plasmonic wave signals and electromagnetic signals, respectively. A separation structure includes an input waveguide configured to guide a first wave signal, an output waveguide configured to guide a second wave signal; and a resonator structure that includes a closed loop pathway and is configured to receive a portion of the first wave signal from the input waveguide by coupling and to provide the second wave signal to the output waveguide based on the portion of the first wave signal by coupling. The input waveguide, the resonator structure and the output waveguide each comprise a wave guiding material for guiding the first wave signal and the second wave signal. The wave guiding material for the plasmonic wavelength separation structure may be a plasmonic wave guiding material. The wave guiding material for the photonic wavelength separation structure may be a semiconductor material.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for manufacturing microphone structures is provided.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an infrared (IR) opto-electronic sensor having a silicon waveguide implemented on a single silicon integrated chip. The IR sensor has a semiconductor substrate having a silicon waveguide extends along a length between a radiation input conduit and a radiation output conduit. The radiation input conduit couples radiation into the silicon waveguide, while the radiation output conduit couples radiation out from the silicon waveguide. The silicon waveguide conveys the IR radiation from the radiation input conduit to the radiation output conduit at a single mode. As the radiation is conveyed by the silicon waveguide, an evanescent field is formed that extends outward from the silicon waveguide to interact with a sample positioned between the radiation input conduit and the radiation output conduit.

Abstract: A sensor and methods of making a sensor are disclosed. The sensor may include a substrate, an optical source, an optical detector, a plurality of optical cavities in the substrate or in a layer structure over the substrate, where the plurality of optical cavities may be arranged in an optical path between the optical source and the optical detector, and a processing circuit coupled to the optical detector and configured to receive a signal representing an optical signal received by the optical detector.

Abstract: A micromechanical structure includes a substrate and a functional structure arranged at the substrate. The functional structure has a functional region configured to deflect with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region. The functional structure includes a conductive base layer and a functional structure comprising a stiffening structure having a stiffening structure material arranged at the conductive base layer and only partially covering the conductive base layer at the functional region. The stiffening structure material includes a silicon material and at least a carbon material.

Abstract: A sensor system having coupling structures is disclosed. The system includes an input coupling structure, an interaction region, and an output coupling structure. The input coupling structure is configured to receive emitted light at a selected coupling efficiency and may provide filtering of the emitted light for a selected wavelength. The interaction region is coupled to the input coupling structure and configured to interact the light from the input coupling structure with a specimen. The output coupling structure is coupled to the interaction region and configured to provide interacted light from the interaction region to the detector.

Abstract: A sensor system having a multi-pass interaction region is disclosed. The system includes an input region, a multi-pass region, and an output region. The input region is configured to receive emitted light. The multi-pass region is coupled to the input region and is configured to absorb portions of the emitted light according to a specimen proximate the multi-pass region. The output region is coupled to the multi-pass region and is configured to provide interacted light from the multi-pass region.

Abstract: A micro mechanical structure includes a substrate and a functional structure arranged at the substrate. The functional structure includes a functional region which is deflectable with respect to the substrate responsive to a force acting on the functional region. The functional structure further includes a conductive base layer having a conductive base layer material. The conductive base layer material includes sectionally in a stiffening section a carbon material such that a carbon concentration of the carbon material in the conductive base layer material is at least 1014 per cubic cm and at least higher by a factor of 103 than in the conductive base layer material adjacent to the stiffening section.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed herein include a capacitive thermometer including a deflectable membrane and a sense electrode. The deflectable membrane is configured to adjust a capacitive value based on a temperature of the deflectable membrane.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method for manufacturing microphone structures is provided.

Abstract: A method for structuring a substrate and a structured substrate are disclosed. In an embodiment a method includes providing a substrate with a first main surface and a second main surface, wherein the substrate is fixed to a carrier arrangement at the second main surface, performing a photolithography step at the first main surface of the substrate to mark a plurality of sites at the first main surface, the plurality of sites corresponding to future perforation structures and future kerf regions for a plurality of future individual semiconductor chips to be obtained from the substrate, and plasma etching the substrate at the plurality of sites until the carrier arrangement is reached, thus creating the perforation structures within the plurality of individual semiconductor chips and simultaneously separating the individual semiconductor chips along the kerf regions.

Abstract: Carbon layers with reduced hydrogen content may be deposited by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition by selecting processing parameters accordingly. Such carbon layers may be subjected to high temperature processing without showing excessive shrinking.

Abstract: A method for processing a wafer having microelectromechanical system structures at the first main surface includes applying a masking material at the second main surface and structuring the masking material to obtain a plurality of masked areas and a plurality of unmasked areas at the second main surface. The method further includes anisotropically etching the wafer from the second main surface at the unmasked areas to form a plurality of recesses. The masking material is then removed at least at some of the masked areas to obtain previously masked areas. The method further includes anisotropically etching the wafer from the second main surface at the unmasked areas and the previously masked areas to increase a depth of the recesses and reduce a thickness of the wafer at the previously masked areas.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an infrared (IR) opto-electronic sensor having a silicon waveguide implemented on a single silicon integrated chip. The IR sensor has a semiconductor substrate having a silicon waveguide extends along a length between a radiation input conduit and a radiation output conduit. The radiation input conduit couples radiation into the silicon waveguide, while the radiation output conduit couples radiation out from the silicon waveguide. The silicon waveguide conveys the IR radiation from the radiation input conduit to the radiation output conduit at a single mode. As the radiation is conveyed by the silicon waveguide, an evanescent field is formed that extends outward from the silicon waveguide to interact with a sample positioned between the radiation input conduit and the radiation output conduit.