A vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a first indicator light associated with a first function or a first state of the vehicle (e.g., a brake light), and circuitry coupled to the first indicator light. The circuitry is configured to cause the first indicator light to emit light when the vehicle is performing the first function or is operating in the first state, and detect an amount of light incident on the first indicator light. Thus, the indicator light can be used to detect incoming light to perform various vehicle functions (e.g., automatically dimming mirrors based on the incoming light) without the need for a dedicated light sensor.

A photosensitive circuit, a driving method thereof and an electronic device are disclosed. The photosensitive circuit includes a photosensitive element and a signal acquisition circuit. The photosensitive element is configured to be able to generate a photosensitive voltage signal by changing threshold characteristic of the photosensitive element according to intensity of light incident into the photosensitive element; and the signal acquisition circuit configured to convert the photosensitive voltage signal into a photosensitive current signal.

Light detection devices and corresponding methods are provided. The devices include a reaction structure to contain a reaction solution and at least one reaction site that generates light emissions in response to incident excitation light after treatment with the reaction solution. The devices also include a plurality of light sensors and device circuitry. The devices further include a plurality of light guides extending toward at least one corresponding light sensor from input regions that receive the excitation light and the light emissions from at least one corresponding reaction recess. The light guides comprise a first filter region that filters the excitation light and permits the light emissions of a first wavelength to pass to the at least one corresponding light sensor, and a second filter region that filters the excitation light and the permits light emissions of a second wavelength to pass to the at least one corresponding light sensor.

A substance detection device includes an illuminator that illuminates a monitoring range with light at a first wavelength and light at a second wavelength at different timings, an image capturer that obtains a first actual image by capturing an image of the monitoring range which is illuminated by the light at the first wavelength and obtains a second actual image by capturing an image of the monitoring range which is illuminated by the light at the second wavelength, and an image processor that acquires a difference in lightness of corresponding pixels between the first actual image and the second actual image that are obtained by the image capturer, compares the acquired difference in lightness of the corresponding pixels with a reference value, and detects a specific substance that is present in the monitoring range based on a result of the comparison.

A spectrophotometer includes a photodetection unit configured to convert received light into an electric signal to output the electric signal; a circuit unit including a plurality of gain amplifiers and a plurality of AD converters configured to amplify an output signal from the photodetection unit by a plurality of gains using the plurality of gain amplifiers and configured to convert the amplified output signals into digital signals using the plurality of AD converters to output the digital signals as a plurality of pieces of light amount data; a saturation determination unit configured to determine whether or not each of the plurality of pieces of light amount data from the circuit unit has been saturated; and a measurement result calculation unit configured to calculate, in accordance with a result of the determination by the saturation determination unit, a measurement result of the received light using a part or all of the plurality of pieces of light amount data.

A photon counting device includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert input light to charge, and an amplifier configured to amplify the charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element and convert the charge to a voltage, an A/D converter configured to convert the voltages output from the amplifiers of the plurality of pixels to digital values; and a conversion unit configured to convert the digital value output from the A/D converter to the number of photons by referring to reference data, for each of the plurality of pixels, and the reference data is created based on a gain and an offset value for each of the plurality of pixels.

The present disclosure describes a method for the formation of mirror micro-structures on radiation-sensing regions of image sensor devices. The method includes forming an opening within a front side surface of a substrate; forming a conformal implant layer on bottom and sidewall surfaces of the opening; growing a first epitaxial layer on the bottom and the sidewall surfaces of the opening; depositing a second epitaxial layer on the first epitaxial layer to fill the opening, where the second epitaxial layer forms a radiation-sensing region. The method further includes depositing a stack on exposed surfaces of the second epitaxial layer, where the stack includes alternating pairs of a high-refractive index material layer and a low-refractive index material layer.

A GmAPD FPA having increased tolerance optical overstress includes a limit resistor that is monolithically integrated into each pixel in the FPA, and which limits the magnitude of the current entering the read out integrated circuit.

A laser diode includes a semiconductor structure of a lower Bragg reflector layer, an active region, and an upper Bragg reflector layer. The upper Bragg reflector layer includes a lasing aperture having an optical axis oriented perpendicular to a surface of the active region. The active region includes a first material, and the lower Bragg reflector layer includes a second material, where respective lattice structures of the first and second materials are independent of one another. Related laser arrays and methods of fabrication are also discussed.

A photon counting device includes a plurality of pixels each including a photoelectric conversion element configured to convert input light to charge, and an amplifier configured to amplify the charge converted by the photoelectric conversion element and convert the charge to a voltage, an A/D converter configured to convert the voltages output from the amplifiers of the plurality of pixels to digital values; and a conversion unit configured to convert the digital value output from the A/D converter to the number of photons by referring to reference data, for each of the plurality of pixels, and the reference data is created based on a gain and an offset value for each of the plurality of pixels.