A filter array includes optical filters that are disposed in a two-dimensional plane. At least one optical filter of the optical filters includes an interference layer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a reflective layer provided on the first surface. A transmission spectrum of the at least one optical filter has maximum values. The reflective layer is not provided on the second surface.

A light detection device includes: a first support part disposed on a mounting surface of the wiring board; a Fabry-Perot interference filter disposed in a first support region of the first support part; and a temperature detector, wherein the temperature detector is disposed on the mounting surface such that at least a part of the temperature detector overlaps a part of the Fabry-Perot interference filter when seen in a first direction perpendicular to the mounting surface and such that at least a part of the temperature detector overlaps a part of the first support part when seen in a second direction in which the first support part and the light detector are aligned with each other, and wherein a first distance between the temperature detector and the first support part in the second direction is smaller than a first width of the first support region in the second direction.

A wafer includes a substrate layer, a first mirror layer having a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged first mirror portions, and a second mirror layer having a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged second mirror portions. A plurality of Fabry-Perot interference filter portions are formed in an effective area, in each of the plurality of Fabry-Perot interference filter portions a gap is formed between the first mirror portion and the second mirror portion. A plurality of dummy filter portions are formed in a dummy area disposed along an outer edge of the substrate layer and surrounding the effective area, in each of the plurality of dummy filter portions an intermediate layer is provided between the first mirror portion and the second mirror portion. At least the second mirror portion is surrounded by the first groove in each of the plurality of Fabry-Perot interference filter portions and the plurality of dummy filter portions.

In described examples, a system (e.g., a microelectromechanical system) includes a substrate, a support coupled to the substrate and a first and second element. The first element includes a contactor spring having a first portion coupled to the support and having a second portion including a cavity having a sloped surface. A clearance from the sloped surface to the substrate is widened as the sloped surface extends away from the first portion. The second portion includes a first contact surface adjacent to the sloped surface. The second element is coupled to the substrate and has a second contact surface adjacent to the first contact surface. One of the first element and the second element is adapted: in a first direction to urge the first contact surface and the second contact surface together; and in a second direction to urge the first contact surface and the second contact surface apart.

An optical filter system includes a Fabry-Perot interference filter, and a controller that controls the Fabry-Perot interference filter. The Fabry-Perot interference filter includes a first mirror portion, a second mirror portion, a first driving electrode and a first monitor electrode provided with the first mirror portion, and a second driving electrode and a second monitor electrode provided with the second mirror portion. The controller includes a control unit that calculates an electrostatic capacitance between the first mirror portion and the second mirror portion based on an alternating voltage generated between the first monitor electrode and the second monitor electrode while an alternating current is applied between the first monitor electrode and the second monitor electrode.

In an illustrative configuration, a method for monitoring air quality is disclosed. The method includes accepting analyte gas into a cell and reflecting light rays into the analyte gas repeatedly across the cell into at least one sensor. The light scattered by particulate matter in the analyte gas and amount of spectra-absorption due to presence of a gaseous chemical is then measured. Based on the determined amount of spectra-absorption and the measured scattered light the gaseous chemical is then measured.

Tunable MEMS etalon devices comprising: a front mirror and a back mirror, the front and back mirrors separated in an initial pre-stressed un-actuated etalon state by a gap having a pre-stressed un-actuated gap size determined by a back stopper structure in physical contact with the front mirror and back mirrors, the etalon configured to assume at least one actuated state in which the gap has an actuated gap size gap greater than the pre-stressed un-actuated gap size; an anchor structure, a frame structure fixedly coupled to the front mirror at a first surface thereof that faces incoming light, and a flexure structure attached to the anchor structure and to the frame structure but not attached to the front mirror, and a spacer structure separating the anchor structure from the back mirror, and wherein the front mirror and the spacer structure are formed in a same single glass layer.

An optical device includes an elastic support portion which includes a torsion bar extending in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction and a nonlinearity relaxation spring connected between the torsion bar and a movable portion. The nonlinearity relaxation spring is configured so that a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring around the second direction is smaller than a deformation amount of the torsion bar around the second direction and a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is larger than a deformation amount of the torsion bar in the third direction while the movable portion moves in the first direction. A first comb finger of a first comb electrode and a second comb finger of a second comb electrode which are adjacent to each other face each other in the second direction.

A wavelength-tunable interference filter includes: a first substrate where a first mirror and a first electrode are provided; a second substrate where a second mirror corresponding to the first mirror and a second electrode facing the first electrode are provided; and a bonding part bonding the first substrate and the second substrate together. The first substrate includes a moving part where the first mirror is arranged, a diaphragm part holding the moving part in such a way that the moving part is movable in the Z-direction, and an outer circumferential part provided outside of the diaphragm part. The diaphragm part includes a planar part having a uniform thickness, and a first slope part having a thickness in the Z-direction incrementing as it goes from the planar part toward the outer circumferential part. The first electrode is provided over a range from the planar part to the first slope part. An outer edge of the first electrode, which is an edge opposite to the first mirror, is located at the first slope part. The bonding part is provided over a range from a part of the first slope part to the outer circumferential part.

A control method of a spectroscopic imaging device including an imaging element and a spectral element, the control method includes causing the spectroscopic imaging device to generate a first measurement spectrum consisting of N1 wavelengths by imaging a target object by making output wavelengths of a spectral element different when the spectroscopic imaging device is in a high accuracy mode and causing the spectroscopic imaging device to generate a second measurement spectrum consisting of N2 wavelengths by imaging the target object by making the output wavelengths of the spectral element different when the spectroscopic imaging device is in a high speed mode, in which N1 is an integer greater than or equal to two, and N2 is an integer less than N1.