A passive thermal oscillator combines a thermoelectric device and a passive analog electrical circuit to produce a time-oscillating temperature difference. The oscillator makes use of a temperature difference imposed across a thermoelectric device to produce a Seebeck voltage to periodically trigger electrical current to pass through a switch. The periodic electrical current causes periodic Peltier cooling producing a time-oscillating temperature difference across the thermoelectric device. There is no requirement for additional external energy input because the thermal energy generates a voltage that is used as the driving force. The operation is purely passive. So long as there is a temperature difference across the thermoelectric device, then the passive thermal oscillator oscillates. The passive thermal oscillator can integrate multiple energy conversion device technologies to operate cooperatively. The cooperation of multiple energy conversion technologies yields a much higher overall system efficiency than just the conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy.

The present invention provides an infrared pixel structure and a hybrid imaging device which use comb-shaped top plates and bottom plates to form capacitors. The upper electrode has a non-fixed end such that the infrared sensitive element in the upper electrode generates thermal stress and deforms when absorbing the infrared light, which changes the capacitance of the capacitors formed by the top plates and the bottom plates to achieve infrared detection and increase the device sensitivity. Furthermore, the infrared pixel structure can be used in an infrared light and visible light hybrid imaging device to achieve visible light imaging and infrared imaging in a same silicon substrate, so as to increase the imaging quality.

Connection with a wiring structure can be reliably achieved, whereby a semiconductor sensor device and a semiconductor sensor device manufacturing method with increased reliability are provided. A semiconductor sensor device in which a multiple of signal lines and a sensor detection portion are disposed includes a conductive film, disposed on a substrate, that configures the signal lines and whose upper face is exposed by an aperture portion of a width smaller than a width of the signal lines, a conductive member formed on the conductive film and electrically connected to the conductive film via the aperture portion, and a wiring structure, formed on an upper face of the conductive member, of an air bridge structure that connects the signal lines or the signal lines and the sensor detection portion, wherein an upper surface of the conductive member is in contact with the wiring structure, and a side face is exposed.

A ground-, sea- or aircraft-based laser transmission system can be implemented to remotely and wirelessly transmit power to an airship to be stored in an energy storage device, such as a battery. The airship can include an energy collection system having a plurality of photovoltaic cells arranged in an array and electrically coupled to the energy storage system. The energy collection system can also include one or more control link components positioned adjacent the array of photovoltaic cells. The control link components are configured to establish a control link between the airship and a power transmission system. The plurality of photovoltaic cells are configured to transfer laser beam transmitted energy from the power transmission system to the energy storage system.

Pyroelectric detection device, including at least: a substrate; a membrane arranged on the substrate; a pyroelectric detection element arranged on the membrane or forming at least one part of the membrane, and including at least one portion of pyroelectric material arranged between first and second electrodes; a cavity passing through the substrate, emerging opposite a part of the membrane which forms a bottom wall of the cavity, and including side edges formed by the substrate; an element for stiffening the membrane arranged in the cavity, partially filling the cavity, made integral with the side edges of the cavity at at least two distinct anchoring regions, and arranged against the membrane.

An infrared sensor comprises a base substrate including a recess, a bolometer infrared ray receiver, and a Peltier device. The bolometer infrared ray receiver comprises a resistance variable layer, a bolometer first beam, and a bolometer second beam. The Peltier device comprises a Peltier first beam formed of a p-type semiconductor material and a Peltier second beam formed of an n-type semiconductor material. The Peltier device is in contact with a back surface of the bolometer infrared ray receiver. One end of each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam is connected to the base substrate. The bolometer infrared ray receiver and the Peltier device are suspended above the base substrate. Each of the bolometer first beam, the bolometer second beam, the Peltier first beam, and the Peltier second beam has a phononic crystal structure including a plurality of through holes arranged regularly.

The invention relates to crosslinkable compositions based on electroactive fluorinated copolymers, to crosslinked films obtained from such compositions and also to a process for preparing these films. The invention also relates to the use of said films as a dielectric layer in various (opto)electronic devices: piezoelectric, ferroelectric or pyroelectric devices.

A process for manufacturing a piezoelectric and/or pyroelectric device comprising a polyvinylidene fluoride film, the process comprising a step of forming at least one portion of a layer of a solution comprising a solvent and a compound comprising polyvinylidene fluoride and a step of irradiating the portion with pulses of at least one ultraviolet radiation. The irradiating step enables the formation of at least two crystalline phases having different orientations.

A method of exchanging or transforming end groups in and/or improving the ferroelectric properties of a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer is disclosed. A bulky or chemically dissimilar end group, such as an iodine, sulfate, aldehyde or carboxylic acid end group, may be transformed to a hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine atom. A method of making a PVDF-TrFE co-polymer is disclosed, including polymerizing a mixture of VDF and TrFE using an initiator, and transforming a bulky or chemically dissimilar end group to a hydrogen, fluorine or chlorine atom. A PVDF-TrFE co-polymer or other fluorinated alkene polymer is also disclosed. The co-polymer may be used as a ferroelectric, electromechanical, piezoelectric or dielectric material in an electronic device.

Disclosed is a plurality of metal chalcogenide nanocrystals coated with multiple organic and inorganic ligands; wherein the metal is selected from Hg, Pb, Sn, Cd, Bi, Sb or a mixture thereof; and the chalcogen is selected from S, Se, Te or a mixture thereof; wherein the multiple inorganic ligands includes at least one inorganic ligands are selected from S.sup.2, HS.sup., Se.sup.2, Te.sup.2, OH.sup., BF.sub.4.sup., PF.sub.6.sup., Cl.sup., Br.sup., I.sup., As.sub.2Se.sub.3, Sb.sub.2S.sub.3, Sb.sub.2Te.sub.3, Sb.sub.2Se.sub.3, As.sub.2S.sub.3 or a mixture thereof; and wherein the absorption of the CH bonds of the organic ligands relative to the absorption of metal chalcogenide nanocrystals is lower than 50%, preferably lower than 20%.