An integrated thermal sensor comprising photonic crystal elements that enable photonic elements for photonic sourcing, spectral switching and filtering, sensing of an exposed analyte and detection. In embodiments, applications are disclosed wherein these photonic elements provide a spectrophotometer, a photonic channel switch and a standalone sensor for toxic gases and vapors. An application coupled with a mobile phone is disclosed.

Various embodiments of energy storage elements for use in power converters are described. In one example embodiment, briefly, an integrated circuit (IC) for use with a power converter may comprise a first layer comprising a first set of devices disposed on a device face thereof; a second layer comprising a second set of devices disposed on a device face thereof; a first interconnect structure to be disposed between the first layer and an electrical interface, the first interconnect structure to electrically couple the first set of devices to one or more thru vias; and a second interconnect structure to be disposed between the first layer and the second layer, the second interconnect structure to electrically couple the second set of devices to the one or more thru vias. Likewise, in some instances, one or more thru vias may extend through at least one of the following: the first layer; the second layer; or any combination thereof.

A system on an integrated circuit (IC) chip includes an input terminal and a return terminal. A heater coupled between the input terminal and the return terminal. A thermopile is spaced apart from the heater by a galvanic isolation region. A switch device includes a control input coupled to an output of the thermopile. The switch device is coupled to at least one output terminal of the IC chip.

A fast-rate thermoelectric device control system includes a fast-rate thermoelectric device, a sensor, and a controller. The fast-rate thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric actuator array disposed on a wafer, and the thermoelectric actuator array includes a thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuator that generates a heating and/or a cooling effect in response to an electrical current. The sensor is configured to measure a temperature associated with the heating or cooling effect and output a feedback signal indicative of the measured temperature. The controller is in communication with the fast-rate thermoelectric device and the sensor, and is configured to control the electrical current based on the feedback signal.

A monolithically integrated multi-sensor (MIMS) is disclosed. A MIMs integrated circuit comprises a plurality of sensors. For example, the integrated circuit can comprise three or more sensors where each sensor measures a different parameter. The three or more sensors can share one or more layers to form each sensor structure. In one embodiment, the three or more sensors can comprise MEMs sensor structures. Examples of the sensors that can be formed on a MIMs integrated circuit are an inertial sensor, a pressure sensor, a tactile sensor, a humidity sensor, a temperature sensor, a microphone, a force sensor, a load sensor, a magnetic sensor, a flow sensor, a light sensor, an electric field sensor, an electrical impedance sensor, a galvanic skin response sensor, a chemical sensor, a gas sensor, a liquid sensor, a solids sensor, and a biological sensor.

Integrated circuit devices which include a thermoelectric generator which recycles heat generated by operation of an integrated circuit, into electrical energy that is then used to help support the power requirements of that integrated circuit. Roughly described, the device includes an integrated circuit die having an integrated circuit thereon, the integrated circuit having power supply terminals for connection to a primary power source, and a thermoelectric generator structure disposed in sufficient thermal communication with the integrated circuit die so as to derive, from heat generated by the die, a voltage difference across first and second terminals of the thermoelectric generator structure. A powering structure is arranged to help power the integrated circuit, from the voltage difference across the first and second terminals of the thermoelectric generator. The thermoelectric generator can include IC packaging material that is made from thermoelectric semiconductor materials.

A fast-rate thermoelectric device control system includes a fast-rate thermoelectric device, a sensor, and a controller. The fast-rate thermoelectric device includes a thermoelectric actuator array disposed on a wafer, and the thermoelectric actuator array includes a thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuator that generates a heating and/or a cooling effect in response to an electrical current. The sensor is configured to measure a temperature associated with the heating or cooling effect and output a feedback signal indicative of the measured temperature. The controller is in communication with the fast-rate thermoelectric device and the sensor, and is configured to control the electrical current based on the feedback signal.

A distributed sensor system is disclosed that provides spatial and temporal data in an operating environment. The distributed sensor nodes can be coupled together to form a distributed sensor system. For example, a distributed sensor system comprises a collection of Sensor Nodes (SN) that are physically coupled and are able to collect data about the environment in a distributed manner. For example, a first sensor node and a second sensor node is formed respectively in a first region and a second region of the semiconductor substrate. A flexible interconnect is formed overlying the semiconductor substrate and couples the first sensor node to the second sensor node. A portion of the semiconductor substrate is removed by etching beneath the flexible interconnect such that the distributed sensor system has multiple degrees of freedom that support following surface contours or sudden changes of direction.

Operations for integrating thermoelectric devices in Fin FET technology may be implemented in a semiconductor device having a thermoelectric device. The thermoelectric device includes a substrate and a fin structure disposed on the substrate. The thermoelectric device includes a first connecting layer and a second connecting layer disposed on opposing ends of the fin structure. The thermoelectric device includes a first thermal conductive structure thermally and a second thermal conductive structure thermally coupled to the opposing ends of the fin structure. The fin structure may be configured to transfer heat from one of the first thermal conductive structure or the second thermal conductive structure to the other thermal conductive structure based on a direction of current flow through the fin structure. In this regard, the current flow may be adjusted by a power circuit electrically coupled to the thermoelectric device.

A distributed sensor system is disclosed that provides spatial and temporal data in an operating environment. The distributed sensor nodes can be coupled together to form a distributed sensor system. For example, a distributed sensor system comprises a collection of Sensor Nodes (SN) that are physically coupled and are able to collect data about the environment in a distributed manner. For example, a first sensor node and a second sensor node is formed respectively in a first region and a second region of the semiconductor substrate. A flexible interconnect is formed overlying the semiconductor substrate and couples the first sensor node to the second sensor node. A portion of the semiconductor substrate is removed by etching beneath the flexible interconnect such that the distributed sensor system has multiple degrees of freedom that support following surface contours or sudden changes of direction.