6984 results about "Photovoltaic detectors" patented technology

There are many, many inventions described herein. In one aspect, what is disclosed is a digital camera including a plurality of arrays of photo detectors, including a first array of photo detectors to sample an intensity of light of a first wavelength and a second array of photo detectors to sample an intensity of light of a second wavelength. The digital camera further may also include a first lens disposed in an optical path of the first array of photo detectors, wherein the first lens includes a predetermined optical response to the light of the first wavelength, and a second lens disposed in with an optical path of the second array of photo detectors wherein the second lens includes a predetermined optical response to the light of the second wavelength. In addition, the digital camera may include signal processing circuitry, coupled to the first and second arrays of photo detectors, to generate a composite image using (i) data which is representative of the intensity of light sampled by the first array of photo detectors, and (ii) data which is representative of the intensity of light sampled by the second array of photo detectors; wherein the first array of photo detectors, the second array of photo detectors, and the signal processing circuitry are integrated on or in the same semiconductor substrate.

Controls for an optical scanner, such as a single fiber scanning endoscope (SFSE) that includes a resonating optical fiber and a single photodetector to produce large field of view, high-resolution images. A nonlinear control scheme with feedback linearization is employed in one type of control to accurately produce a desired scan. Open loop and closed loops controllers are applied to the nonlinear optical scanner of the SFSE. A closed loop control (no model) uses either phase locked loop and PID controllers, or a dual-phase lock-in amplifier and two PIDs for each axis controlled. Other forms of the control that employ a model use a frequency space tracking control, an error space tracking control, feedback linearizing controls, an adaptive control, and a sliding mode control.

A semiconductor component, selected from the group comprising a photodetector, a light emitting diode, an optical modulator and a waveguide. The semiconductor component comprises an Si substrate, an active region formed on said substrate, and an Si capping layer on said active region. In one embodiment the active region is a superlattice comprising alternating layers of Si1-yCy and Si1-x-yGexCy, with the atomic fraction y of the Si1-x-yGexCy layers being equal to or different from the atomic fraction y of the Si1-yCy layers. In another embodiment it is a superlattice comprising a plurality of periods of a three-layer structure comprising Si, Si1-yCy and Si1-xGex layers. In a third embodiment it is a superlattice comprising a plurality of periods of a three-layer structure comprising Si, Si1-yCy and Si1-x-yGexCy layers, with the atomic fraction y of the Si1-x-yGexCy layers being equal to or different from the atomic fraction y of the Si1-yCy layers. The components have faborable optical and electrical properties and are suitable for integration on a Si substrate.

The invention provides a monitoring device featuring: 1) a housing having a first surface; 2) a sensor pad, positioned on the first surface, that includes a first LED emitting red light, a second LED emitting infrared light, and a photodetector; 3) a data-processing circuit that analyzes a signal from the photodetector to generate a blood pressure value; and 4) means for transmitting the blood pressure value to an external device.

An LED light and communication system includes at least one optical transceiver, the optical transceiver including a light support and a processor. The light support has a plurality of light emitting diodes and at least one photodetector attached thereto, the light emitting diodes receiving power from a power source. The processor is in communication with the light emitting diodes and the at least one photodetector, the processor capable of illuminating the light emitting diodes to simultaneously create at least one first light signal, and at least one second light signal, the first light signal being observable to the unaided eyes of an individual and the second light signal not being observable to the unaided eyes of the individual. The second light signal includes at least one data packet. The at least one data packet comprises global positioning system (GPS) location information.

A two-component monitoring device and system for monitoring blood pressure from a patient is disclosed herein. The two-component monitoring device includes a disposable component and a main component. The disposable component features: i) a backing structure having a first aperture; and ii) first and second electrodes, each electrode connected to the backing structure and including an electrical lead and a conductive electrode material, and configured to generate an electrical signal that passes through the electrical lead when the conductive electrode material contacts the patient. The main component includes: i) first and second connectors configured to connect to the first and second electrical leads to receive the first and second electrical signals; and ii) an optical component comprising a light source that generates optical radiation and a photodetector that detects the optical radiation. The optical component inserts into the first aperture of the disposable component. The main component optionally includes an acoustic sensor. The system utilizes a processing device, connected to the monitoring device by a cable which receives and processes a plurality of signals to determine real-time blood-pressure values for the patient.

Low-bandgap, monolithic, multi-bandgap, optoelectronic devices (10), including PV converters, photodetectors, and LED's, have lattice-matched (LM), double-heterostructure (DH), low-bandgap GaInAs(P) subcells (22, 24) including those that are lattice-mismatched (LMM) to InP, grown on an InP substrate (26) by use of at least one graded lattice constant transition layer (20) of InAsP positioned somewhere between the InP substrate (26) and the LMM subcell(s) (22, 24). These devices are monofacial (10) or bifacial (80) and include monolithic, integrated, modules (MIMs) (190) with a plurality of voltage-matched subcell circuits (262, 264, 266, 270, 272) as well as other variations and embodiments.

The invention describes several embodiments of an adapter which can make use of the devices in any commercially available digital cameras to accomplish different functions, such as a fundus camera, as a microscope or as an en-face optical coherence tomography (OCT) to produce constant depth OCT images or as a Fourier domain (channelled spectrum) optical coherence tomography to produce a reflectivity profile in the depth of an object or cross section OCT images, or depth resolved volumes. The invention admits addition of confocal detection and provides simultaneous measurements or imaging in at least two channels, confocal and OCT, where the confocal channel provides an en-face image simultaneous with the acquisition of OCT cross sections, to guide the acquisition as well as to be used subsequently in the visualisation of OCT images. Different technical solutions are provided for the assembly of one or two digital cameras which together with such adapters lead to modular and portable high resolution imaging systems which can accomplish various functions with a minimum of extra components while adapting the elements in the digital camera. The cost of such adapters is comparable with that of commercial digital cameras, i.e. the total cost of such assemblies of commercially digital cameras and dedicated adapters to accomplish high resolution imaging are at a fraction of the cost of dedicated stand alone instruments. Embodiments and methods are presented to employ colour cameras and their associated optical sources to deliver simultaneous signals using their colour sensor parts to provide spectroscopic information, phase shifting inferometry in one step, depth range extension, polarisation, angular measurements and spectroscopic Fourier domain (channelled spectrum) optical coherence tomography in as many spectral bands simultaneously as the number of colour parts of the photodetector sensor in the digital camera. In conjunction with simultaneous acquistion of a confocal image, at least 4 channels can simultaneously be provided using the three color parts of conventional color cameras to deliver three OCT images in addition to the confocal image.

The present invention generally relates to organic photodetectors. Further, it is, directed to an optimized organic photodetector having reduced dark current and high efficiency and response time.

A system that has a remote control, e.g., a wand, equipped with a relative motion sensor that outputs data indicative of a change in position of the wand. The system also has one or more light sources and a photodetector that detects their light and outputs data indicative of the detected light. The system uses one or more controllers to determine the absolute position of the wand based on the data output by the relative motion sensor and by the photodetector. The data enables determination of the absolute pose of the wand, which includes the absolute position of a reference point chosen on the wand and the absolute orientation of the wand. To properly express the absolute parameters of position and/or orientation of the wand a reference location is chosen with respect to which the calculations are performed. The system is coupled to a display that shows an image defined by a first and second orthogonal axes such as two axes belonging to world coordinates (X_o,Y_o,Z_o). The one or more controllers are configured to generate signals that are a function of the absolute position of the wand in or along a third axis for rendering the display. To simplify the mapping of a real three-dimensional environment in which the wand is operated to the cyberspace of the application that the system is running, the third axis is preferably the third Cartesian coordinate axis of world coordinates (X_o,Y_o,Z_o).

PCT No. PCT/IL96/00006 Sec. 371 Date Jul. 9, 1998 Sec. 102(e) Date Jul. 9, 1998 PCT Filed Jun. 6, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/41566 PCT Pub. Date Dec. 27, 1996There is described a new sensor for optical blood oximetry as well as a method and apparatus in which the new sensor is used. The new sensor includes two point-like light emitters (23,24) positioned in the center of the device in close proximity to each other and at least one and preferably two annular detector terminals (32,39) concentrically surrounding the light emitters. The light sources may, for example, be two laser diodes emitting each monochromatic light within the range of 670 nm to 940 nm. The detector devices are, for example, photodetectors.

A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, light being incident on the second surface side; a wiring layer disposed on the first surface side; a photodetector formed in the substrate and including a first region of a first conductivity type; a transfer gate disposed on the first surface of the substrate and adjacent to the photodetector, the transfer gate transferring a signal charge accumulated in the photodetector; and at least one control gate disposed on the first surface of the substrate and superposed on the photodetector, the control gate controlling the potential of the photodetector in the vicinity of the first surface.

An optical device consists of one or more optical waveguides and mechanical light switches 30. When a light switch 30 is turned on, it extracts light beam 62a from a waveguide core 20 and redirect the light beam 62b into free space, it redirects an incoming light beam 80 from free space and injects the light beam 80a into the waveguide core 20, or it performs both functions at the same time, depending on specific applications. On and off states of a light switch 30 are achieved by pulling the light switch 30 into a close vicinity of the waveguide core 20 and by pushing the light switch 30 away from the waveguide core 20, respectively. An interactive fiat-panel display can be built based on this invention. A plurality of parallel channel waveguides forms a display panel. An array of light beams 62a, injected from an array light source 60, propagates along waveguide cores 20 until reaches a location where a light switch 30 is turned on. At this location, the light switch 30 redirects the light beams towards a viewer. An image is produced when the light switches 30 are turned on sequentially while the light-intensity distribution on the array light source 60 is synchronically updated. The panel display is capable of responding to an input optical signal by detecting an incoming light beam 80 from a light pen 100. An array of photodetectors 81 is used to identify the location of the incoming light beam 80 on the display panel and a computer is used to execute a corresponding action accordingly.

A horizontal germanium silicon heterostructure photodetector comprising a horizontal germanium p-i-n diode disposed over a horizontal parasitic silicon p-i-n diode uses silicon contacts for electrically coupling to the germanium p-i-n through the p-type doped and n-type doped regions in the silicon p-i-n without requiring direct physical contact to germanium material. The current invention may be optically coupled to on-chip and/or off-chip optical waveguide through end-fire or evanescent coupling. In some cases, the doping of the germanium p-type doped and/or n-type doped region may be accomplished based on out-diffusion of dopants in the doped silicon material of the underlying parasitic silicon p-i-n during high temperature steps in the fabrication process such as, the germanium deposition step(s), cyclic annealing, contact annealing and/or dopant activation.

High-speed optoelectronic devices having a waveguide densely integrated with and efficiently coupled to a photodetector are fabricated utilizing methods generally compatible with CMOS processing techniques. In various implementations, the waveguide consists essentially of single-crystal silicon and the photodetector contains, or consists essentially of, epitaxially grown germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy having a germanium concentration exceeding about 90%.

A photodetector capable of normal incidence detection over a broad range of long wavelength light signals to efficiently convert infrared light into electrical signals. It is capable of converting long wavelength light signals into electrical signals with direct normal incidence sensitivity without the assistance of light coupling devices or schemes. In the apparatus, stored charged carriers are ejected by photons from quantum dots, then flow over the other barrier and quantum dot layers with the help of an electric field produced with a voltage applied to the device, producing a detectable photovoltage and photocurrent. The photodetector has multiple layers of materials including at least one quantum dot layer between an emitter layer and a collector layer, with a barrier layer between the quantum dot layer and the emitter layer, and another barrier layer between the quantum dot layer and the collector.

Provided are devices, and related methods, for controlling curvature of an array of optical components on, embedded, or partially embedded in, a deformable substrate. The array of optical components, in an aspect, comprises a deformable substrate having a contact surface and an array of mechanically interconnected optical components supported by the contact surface. An actuator is operably connected to the contact surface, wherein the actuator variably controls a curvature of said contact surface. The contact surface may have a curvature that spans concave to convex, which is tunable. In an aspect, the array of optical components is part of on optical device, such as a camera with a continuously adjustable zoom whose focus is maintained by adjusting a photodetector array curvature. In an aspect, the method is adjusting the curvature of a substrate that supports the array of optical components by applying a force to the substrate.

The invention provides a multi-sensor system that uses an algorithm based on adaptive filtering to monitor a patient's respiratory rate. The system features a first sensor selected from the following group: i) an impedance pneumography sensor featuring at least two electrodes and a processing circuit configured to measure an impedance pneumography signal; ii) an ECG sensor featuring at least two electrodes and an ECG processing circuit configured to measure an ECG signal; and iii) a PPG sensor featuring a light source, photodetector, and PPG processing circuit configured to measure a PPG signal. Each of these sensors measures a time-dependent signal which is sensitive to respiratory rate and, during operation, is processed to determine an initial respiratory rate value. An adaptive digital filter is determined from the initial respiratory rate. The system features a second sensor (e.g. a digital 3-axis accelerometer) that attaches to the patient's torso and measures an ACC signal indicating movement of the chest or abdomen that is also sensitive to respiratory rate. This second signal is processed with the adaptive filter to determine a final value for respiratory rate.

The invention features a medical device that measures vital signs (e.g., blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and heart rate) from a patient using at least two optical modules. Each optical module typically features two light sources (red, infrared) and a photodetector. Both optical modules are configured to measure time-dependent signals describing the patient's flowing blood. A processor analyzes the time-dependent signals to determine the patient's vital signs. Once the vital signs are measured, a wireless transmitter in the body-worn device transmits them to an external device. Processing signals from least two optical modules compensates for motion-related artifacts and noise normally present in signals used to determine vital signs from a device featuring just a single optical module.

Disclosed is a flexible insert (100) for placement on the human eye, comprising a light source (110) in said insert such that light emitted from the light source is shielded from the human eye upon correct placement of the insert on the human eye, a light-responsive material (120) placed in the light path of the light source, said light-responsive material emitting light upon stimulation by the light from said light source, the intensity of said stimulated emission being sensitive to a chemical interaction of the light-sensitive material with an analyte of interest, a photodetector (130) for detecting the light emitted by the light-responsive material; and a transmitter (140) coupled to the photodetector for transmitting a photodetector reading. The insert may be used in conjunction with a reader for automated monitoring of an analyte of interest such as glucose in the tear fluid of its wearer.

An atomic magnetometer is disclosed which uses a pump light beam at a D1 or D2 transition of an alkali metal vapor to magnetically polarize the vapor in a heated cell, and a probe light beam at a different D2 or D1 transition to sense the magnetic field via a polarization rotation of the probe light beam. The pump and probe light beams are both directed along substantially the same optical path through an optical waveplate and through the heated cell to an optical filter which blocks the pump light beam while transmitting the probe light beam to one or more photodetectors which generate electrical signals to sense the magnetic field. The optical waveplate functions as a quarter waveplate to circularly polarize the pump light beam, and as a half waveplate to maintain the probe light beam linearly polarized.

The invention provides a multi-sensor system that uses an algorithm based on adaptive filtering to monitor a patient's respiratory rate. The system features a first sensor selected from the following group: i) an impedance pneumography sensor featuring at least two electrodes and a processing circuit configured to measure an impedance pneumography signal; ii) an ECG sensor featuring at least two electrodes and an ECG processing circuit configured to measure an ECG signal; and iii) a PPG sensor featuring a light source, photodetector, and PPG processing circuit configured to measure a PPG signal. Each of these sensors measures a time-dependent signal which is sensitive to respiratory rate and, during operation, is processed to determine an initial respiratory rate value. An adaptive digital filter is determined from the initial respiratory rate. The system features a second sensor (e.g. a digital 3-axis accelerometer) that attaches to the patient's torso and measures an ACC signal indicating movement of the chest or abdomen that is also sensitive to respiratory rate. This second signal is processed with the adaptive filter to determine a final value for respiratory rate.

A scanning device for: scanning coded data disposed on a surface; and generating interaction data based on the sensed coded data, the interaction data being indicative of interaction of the scanning device with the surface; the coded data including, at a plurality of locations on the interface surface, a corresponding plurality of coded data portions, the scanning device comprising: (a) a laser source and scan optics configured to emit a scanning beam through an aperture in a housing of the scanning device, the scanning beam being directed in first and second orthogonal directions to thereby generate a raster scan pattern over a scanning patch, the scanning patch being positioned to cause the exposure of the at least one coded data portion when the surface and the sensing device are positioned operatively with respect to each other; (b) a photodetector for detecting reflection of the scanning beam from the surface, thereby to capture sample information; (c) at least one analog to digital converter for converting the captured sample information into sample data; (d) a first framestore for storing successive sample data as image data; (e) an image processor for processing the image data to generate processed image data; (e) a host processor for generating the interaction data based at least partially on the processed image data.

A currency processing device for receiving a stack of U.S. currency bills and rapidly processing all the bills in the stack, the device comprising: an input receptacle adapted to receive a stack of U.S. currency bills of a plurality of denominations, the currency bills having a wide dimension and a narrow dimension; a transport mechanism positioned to transport the bills, one at a time, in a transport direction from the input receptacle along a transport path at a rate of at least about 1000 bills per minute with the narrow dimension of the bills parallel to the transport direction; a currency bill sensor arrangement positioned along the transport path, the currency bill sensor comprising: i) a multi-wavelength light source configured to emit a first wavelength of light and a second wavelength of light; ii) a cylindrical lens positioned to receive the first and second wavelengths of light from the multi-wavelength light source, the cylindrical lens illuminating an elongated strip of light on a surface of one of the plurality of currency bills, the cylindrical lens being configured to receive light reflected from the surface of the one of the plurality of currency bills; iii) a photodetector positioned to receive the reflected light, the photodetector generating an electrical signal in response to the received reflected light; iv) a processor configured to receive the electrical signal generated by the photodetector; wherein, the processor is configured to determine whether the surface of the one of the plurality of currency bills is a primary surface or a secondary surface based on the electrical signal.

To provide a measuring method which enables a highly accurate measurement of concentrations of specific components in subjects of measurement even when the concentration measuring contact of a concentration measuring instrument is contaminated with drinks or the like.

The concentration measuring instrument includes:

a main body that has a concentration measuring contact, a light source and a photodetector; and

judging means that calculates the difference between a non-contact-measured value, a value, measured by the photodetector while keeping a subject of measurement out of contact with the concentration measuring contact, of the quantity of light that is emitted and entered by the light source into the concentration measuring contact and returned to the concentration measuring contact and a predetermined reference value obtained in advance by making measurement while keeping the concentration measuring contact clean and judges whether the calculation of the concentration of the specific component in the subject of measurement is effective or not by comparing the calculated difference with a predetermined threshold.

The present invention relates to a system (80) for determining analyte concentration. The system (80) includes an optical detection system (92) that detects fluorescence from fluorescent binding assays in a biosensor (88). A processing system (96) may be used to determine analyte concentration from the fluorescence detected by the optical detection system (92). The optical detection system (92) may include photodetectors with or without in series lenses. Alternatively, a CCD camera (146) may be used.

A patient monitor capable of measuring microcirculation at a tissue site includes a light source, a beam splitter, a photodetector and a patient monitor. Light emitted from the light source is split into a reference arm and a sample arm. The light in the sample arm is directed at a tissue site, such as an eyelid. The reflected light from the tissue site is interfered with the light from the reference arm. The photodetector measures the interference of the light from both the sample arm and the reference arm. The patient monitor uses the measurements from the photodetector to calculate the oxygen saturation at the tissue site and monitor the microcirculation at the tissue site.

A CMOS compatible ten-gigabit-per-second region nano-waveguide included photonic communication link apparatus of low energy use per transmitted bit. An embodiment of the link includes an electrically pumped laser, an electro absorption modulator and a photodetector for the 1.5 to 2.0 micrometer infrared spectral region; omission of the separate electro absorption modulator is additionally disclosed. Each of these three nano-scale elements preferably includes active semiconductor crystal material situated in a preferably Silicon resonator within a nano-strip waveguide. The resonator is defined by dispersed resonator mirrors having tapered separation distance one dimensional photonic crystal lattice apertures of oxide holes or slots. Each of the three devices may be a semiconductor heterodiode pumped or controlled by laterally disposed wings enclosing the resonator to form a lateral PIN heterodiode for current injection or high E-field generation depending on bias and composition conditions selected.

A illumination device sequentially projects a selective set of spatially encoded intensity light pulses toward a scene. The spatially encoded patterns are generated by an array of diffractive optical or holographic elements on a substrate that is rapidly translated in the path of the light beam. Alternatively, addressable micromirror arrays or similar technology are used to manipulate the beam wavefront. Reflected light is collected onto an individual photosensor or a very small set of high performance photodetectors. A data processor collects a complete set of signals associated with the encoded pattern set. The sampled signals are combined by a data processing unit in a prescribed manner to calculate range estimates and imaging features for elements in the scene. The invention may also be used to generate three dimensional reconstructions.

A gas sensor system is provided, comprising: a gas cell operable so as to receive a sample gas; a vacuum system fluidically coupled to the gas cell operable to maintain the sample gas within the gas cell at a sub-ambient pressure; a pressure sensor operable to sense a pressure of the sample gas; a thermally insulated enclosure having the gas cell therein; a heat source or heat exchanger operable to influence an interior temperature of the thermally insulated enclosure; a light source within the thermally insulated enclosure operable to provide a mid-infrared (mid-IR) light into and through the gas cell; a photodetector within the thermally insulated enclosure operable to receive the attenuated mid-IR; and a control system electronically coupled to the vacuum system and to the pressure sensor operable to maintain the sample gas within the gas cell at the predetermined pressure to within one torr (1 Torr).