Self-mixing flow sensor using a monolithic VCSEL array with parallel readout.
The self-mixing sensing technique is a compact, interferometric sensing technique that can be used for measuring fluid flows. In this work, we demonstrate a parallel readout self-mixing flow velocity sensing system based on a monolithic Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array. The parallel sensing scheme enables high-resolution full-field imaging systems employing electronic scanning with faster acquisition rates than mechanical scanning systems. The self-mixing signal is acquired from the variation in VCSEL junction voltage, thus markedly reducing the system complexity. The system was validated by measuring velocity distribution of fluid in a custom built diverging-converging planar flow channel. The results obtained agree well with simulation and demonstrate the feasibility of high frame-rate and resolution parallel self-mixing sensors.
Lim
Yah Leng
YL
School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia. ylim@itee.uq.edu.au
Kliese
Russell
R
Bertling
Karl
K
Tanimizu
Katsuyoshi
K
Jacobs
P A
PA
Rakić
Aleksandar D
AD
D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D017022:Flow Injection Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007834:Lasers; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation*