Composite materials comprising electrically conductive particles in a form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) are provided. Also provided as radiation sensors incorporating the composites and methods for detecting radiation using the composites. The PCMs comprise crosslinked polyether polyol that undergoes a reversible solid-solid phase change upon heating. Prior to the phase change, the crosslinked polyether polyol comprises microscopic crystalline domains. When the PCM is heated beyond its phase transition temperature these microscopic crystalline domains melt. However, the form-stable PCMs retain their solid form at the macroscopic level.

A system for controlling excess bias of a single photon avalanche photo diode (SPAD) is provided. The system includes a power supply, a SPAD, a control circuit and a load. The power supply generates a supply voltage. The SPAD has a first terminal receiving the supply voltage and a second terminal generating an output voltage signal. The control circuit is connected to the second terminal of the SPAD. The load has a first terminal connected to the second terminal of the SPAD, and a second terminal connected to the control circuit for receiving a reset level. The control circuit is capable of monitoring a swing of the output voltage level and generating the reset level in response to the excess bias level and the swing of the output voltage level.

A color sensor with a plurality of optical sensors in which the number of terminals for connection with the outside can be reduced. The color sensor includes a plurality of optical sensors each provided with a photoelectric conversion element and an optical filter over a light-transmitting substrate. The optical filters in the plurality of optical sensors have light-transmitting characteristics different from each other. The plurality of optical sensors is mounted over an interposer including a plurality of terminal electrodes for electrical connection with an external device. The interposer includes a wiring having a plurality of branches for electrical connection between the terminal electrode for inputting a high power supply potential to the plurality of optical sensors and a wiring having a plurality of branches for electrical connection between the terminal electrode for inputting a low power supply potential to the plurality of optical sensors.

An electromagnetic radiation detection circuit includes a photodetector transforming the received electromagnetic radiation into an electric current. A readout circuit is coupled to a first terminal of the photodetector and configured to transform a current signal into a voltage signal. A capacitor has a first terminal electrically coupled to the first terminal of the photodetector and a second terminal electrically coupled to the readout circuit. A resistor has a first terminal electrically coupled to the capacitor and to a first terminal of the photodetector. A bias circuit is electrically coupled to a second terminal of the resistor and configured to bias the photodetector during a first time period by means of the resistor.

An optical sensor arrangement (10) comprises a photodiode (11) for providing a sensor current (IPD) and an analog-to-digital converter arrangement (12) which is coupled to the photodiode (11) and determines a digital value of the sensor current (IPD) in a charge balancing operation in a first phase (A) and in another conversion operation in a second phase (B).

One or more embodiments are directed to ambient light sensor packages, and methods of making ambient light sensor packages. One embodiment is directed to an ambient light sensor package that includes an ambient light sensor die having opposing first and second surfaces, a light sensor on the first surface of the ambient light sensor die, one or more conductive bumps on the second surface of the ambient light sensor die, and a light shielding layer on at least the first surface and the second surface of the ambient light sensor die. The light shielding layer defines an opening over the light sensor. The ambient light sensor package may further include a transparent cover between the first surface of the ambient light sensor die and the light shielding layer, and an adhesive that secures the transparent cover to the ambient light sensor die.

A method for forming a light-sensing device is provided. The method includes forming a light-sensing region in a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate has a front surface and a light-receiving surface opposite to the front surface. The method also includes forming a first dielectric layer over the front surface and forming a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer. The second dielectric layer has a different refractive index than that of the first dielectric layer, and the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer together form a (or a part of a) light-reflective element. The method further includes partially removing the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer to form a contact opening. In addition, the method includes forming a conductive contact to partially (or completely) fill the contact opening.

Embodiments of the present invention include a backscatter reductant anamorphic beam sampler. The beam sampler can be implemented to measure a power of a reference beam generated by an electromagnetic radiation source in proportion to a power of a working beam. The beam sampler can provide astigmatic correction to a divergence of the working beam along one axis orthogonal to a direction of propagation. The beam sampler can further be implemented to prevent backscatter reentrant radiation from impinging upon a photodetector of the beam sampler resulting in a reduction of error and instability in an assay of the working beam.

Memory efficient methods determine corrected color values from image data acquired by a nucleic acid sequencer during a base calling cycle. Such methods may: (a) obtain an image of a substrate (e.g., a portion of a flow cell) including a plurality of sites where nucleic acid bases are read; (b) measure color values of the plurality of sites from the image of the substrate; (c) store the color values in a processor buffer of the sequencer's one or more processors; (d) retrieve partially phase-corrected color values of the plurality of sites, where the partially phase-corrected color values were stored in the sequencer's memory during an immediately preceding base calling cycle; (e) determine a prephasing correction; and (f) determine the corrected color values. In various implementations, these operations are all performed during a single base calling cycle. In certain embodiments, the methods additionally include using the corrected color values to make base calls for the plurality of sites. Sequencers may be designed or configured to implement such methods.

A method of controlling the performance of a night vision device includes supplying, by a power supply, to a microchannel plate of a light intensifier tube, a control voltage that controls a gain of the microchannel plate, determining an amount of compensation to apply to the control voltage based on a change to the control voltage attributed to a change in temperature of an operating environment of the night vision device, adjusting the control voltage in accordance with the amount of compensation to obtain a compensated control voltage, and supplying, by the power supply, the compensated control voltage to the microchannel plate of the light intensifier tube. The method may further include determining whether the night vision device has been used for a predetermined amount of time, and only after that predetermined amount of time, is the method configured to supply the compensated control voltage.