Infineon Technologies Ag

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.V.

Stefan Kolb

Horst Theuss

Alfons Dehe

Franz Jost

Matthias Eberl

Markus Eckinger

Jochen Huber

Juergen Woellenstein

Thoralf Kautzsch

Rainer Markus Schaller

Klemens Pruegl

Wolfgang Werner

Bernhard Winkler

Boris Binder

Juergen Zimmer

Marco Mueller

Bernd Foeste

Simon Gassner

Wilhelm Wiedmeier

Karlheinz Mueller

Andreas Peter Meiser

Till Schloesser

Klaus Elian

Guenther Ruhl

Werner Weber

Jochen Dangelmaier

Dirk Meinhold

Christian Pacha

Reinhard Mahnkopf

Vijaye Rajaraman

Klaus-G&uuml;nter Oppermann

Andreas Zankl

Hans-J&ouml;rg Timme

Dieter Maier-Schneider

Yonsuang Arnanthigo

Gottfried Beer

Robert Aigner

Christofer Hierold

Thomas Scheiter

Uwe Rudolph

Thomas Mueller

Ivo Rangelow

Marc Probst

Hergen Kapels

Ben Rosam

Karlheinz M&uuml;ller

Torsten Helm

Sebastian Beer

Hans-Olof Blom

Johan Bjurstroem

Marco Müller

A photoacoustic sensor includes a first MEMS device and a second MEMS device. The first MEMS device includes a first MEMS component including an optical emitter, and a first optically transparent cover wafer-bonded to the first MEMS component, wherein the first MEMS component and the first optically transparent cover form a first closed cavity. The second MEMS device includes a second MEMS component including a pressure detector, and a second optically transparent cover wafer-bonded to the second MEMS component, wherein the second MEMS component and the second optically transparent cover form a second closed cavity.

Photoacoustic sensors and MEMS devices

A photoacoustic detector unit comprises a housing having an opening, and also a photoacoustic transducer designed to convert optical radiation into at least one from a pressure signal or a heat signal. The photoacoustic transducer covers the opening of the housing, such that the photoacoustic transducer and the housing form an acoustically tight cavity. A pressure pick-up is arranged in the acoustically tight cavity.

Photoacoustic detector unit, photoacoustic sensor and associated production methods

A gas sensor having a heater, a receiver, and a space arranged between the heater and the receiver, is described, the heater being configured to generate a thermoacoustic sound wave propagating through the space by using a stimulation signal. The receiver is in this case configured to receive the thermoacoustic sound wave that has propagated through the space and to convert it into a reception signal that has a time-of-flight-dependent shift with respect to the stimulation signal and therefore information relating to the gas concentration in the space.

Gas concentration detection by means of thermoacoustic sound wave

An apparatus for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor includes a measurement device configured to measure an electric signal at an IR emitter of the photoacoustic sensor, wherein the IR emitter generates an electromagnetic spectrum based on the electric signal; and a calibration unit including processing circuitry, configured to compare the electric signal with a comparison value to generate a comparison result used as calibration information. When performing the in-situ calibration, the calibration unit is configured to adjust the electric signal based on the calibration information, or the calibration unit is configured to process an output signal of the photoacoustic sensor based on the calibration information to obtain an adjusted output signal of the photoacoustic sensor.

Apparatus and method for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor

A gas sensor includes a multi-wafer stack of a plurality of layers and a measurement chamber. The plurality of layers includes a first layer comprising a sensor element that has a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) membrane; and a second layer comprising an emitter element configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The measurement chamber is interposed between the first layer and the second layer. The measurement chamber is configured to receive a measurement gas and further receive the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter element as the electromagnetic radiation travels along a radiation path from a first end of the measurement chamber to a second end of the measurement chamber that is opposite to the first end.

Wafer arrangement for gas sensor

An apparatus for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor is provided. The apparatus includes a calibration unit that includes at least one processor configured to calculate calibration information. A light emitter of the photoacoustic sensor is configured to emit an electromagnetic spectrum and the photoacoustic sensor is configured to provide at least two measurement signals based on at least two electromagnetic spectra. The calibration unit is configured to compare the at least two measurement signals to obtain the calibration information and apply the calibration information to the photoacoustic sensor to perform the in-situ calibration.

Photoacoustic gas sensor having a light pulse emitter, a microphone in a reference gas housing having a reference gas, and a sample gas housing to be filled with a gas to be analyzed. A wall separates the sample gas housing from the reference gas housing, and has a transparent region that is transparent to light within a frequency range of emitted light pulses. Remaining inner walls of the sample gas housing have a reflecting surface that reflect light pulses emitted by the emitter so that a portion of the light pulses not absorbed by the gas to be analyzed pass through the transparent region into the reference gas volume. The microphone generates a sensor signal indicating information on an acoustic wave caused by the light pulses interacting with the reference gas after crossing the gas to be analyzed.

Photoacoustic gas sensor

An example of a system comprises a volume filled with a gas, a gas excitation device configured to excite the gas inside the volume, a microphone configured to output a microphone signal on the basis of the gas excited by the gas excitation device, and a testing unit configured to take the microphone signal as a basis for testing a gas-tightness of the volume. An example of a photoacoustic sensor comprises a hermetically sealed sensor cell, a gas excitation device and a testing unit configured to take the microphone signal dependent on the thermally excited gas as a basis for testing a gas-tightness of the sensor cell. One example comprises a method for testing a gas-tightness of a volume filled with a gas.

Photoacoustic sensor, method for checking a gas-tightness, and system

Shown is a wafer arrangement for a gas sensor including a first substrate and a sescond substrate. The first substrate includes a MEMS membrane associated with a sensor element and an emitter element configured to emit electromagnetic radiation. The second substrate is arranged on top of the first substrate and defines at least a portion of a chamber disposed adjacent to the MEMS membrane.

Wafer arrangement

A microelectromechanical light emitter component comprises an emitter layer structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component and an inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component. The inductive structure of the microelectromechanical light emitter component is configured to generate current in the emitter layer structure by electromagnetic induction, such that the emitter layer structure emits light. The emitter layer structure is electrically insulated from the inductive structure.

Microelectromechanical light emitter component, light emitter component and method for producing a microelectromechanical light emitter component

An apparatus for in-situ calibration of a photoacoustic sensor is provided. The apparatus includes a light emitter to emit light along a transmission path to a gas and an acoustic sensor element configured to detect an acoustic signal emitted from the gas based on the received light. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a sensing unit configured to detect the light transmitted along the transmission path and to provide an output signal, and a calibration unit to receive the output signal from the sensing unit and to provide a calibration information based on the output signal received from the sensing unit.

A photoacoustic gas sensor device for analyzing gas includes an emitter module and a pressure-sensitive module. The emitter module is arranged on a carrier substrate and emits light pulses. The pressure-sensitive module is arranged on the carrier substrate within a reference gas volume. The reference gas volume is separated from a volume intended to be filled with a gas to be analyzed. Further, the pressure-sensitive module generates a sensor signal indicating information on an acoustic wave caused by light pulses emitted by the emitter module interacting with a reference gas within the reference gas volume. Additionally, the emitter module is arranged so that light pulses emitted by the emitter module reach the reference gas volume after crossing the volume intended to be filled with the gas to be analyzed.

Photoacoustic gas sensor device and a method for analyzing gas

Growing community of inventors

Unterschleissheim, Germany

Stefan Kolb