Microsensor including a VCSEL and method for electro-mechanical coupling of microsensors
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsAndrew A. Berlin, Elmer S. Hung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microsensor including a VCSEL for use in a MEMS. By coupling the top mirror of the VCSEL to the micromechanical structure, either directly or indirectly, the motion of the micromechanical structure in response to a physical phenomenon can directly modulate the wavelength of the light emitted from the VCSEL. Also, a method for sensing and transmitting information about the configuration or motion of a mechanical structure. The method includes coupling the top mirror of a VCSEL to the mechanical structure that directly encodes information about the motion into the frequency of light emitted by the VCSEL.
Claims13
A method for coupling mechanical motion of a microsensor to an optical domain comprising the steps of:
- providing a microsensor comprising a mechanical structure that is responsive to a physical phenomenon of measurement interest;
- providing at least one Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) having an output wavelength comprising an optical cavity with two ends and a reflector at each end;
- coupling one of the reflectors of the VCSEL to the mechanical structure;
- measuring a change in the output wavelength of the VCSEL due to the change in optical cavity length resulting from the mechanical structure's response to the physical phenomenon.
A micromechanical sensor comprising:
- a micromechanical member that is responsive to a physical phenomenon of measurement interest;
- a VCSEL comprising an optical cavity with two ends and a reflector at each end, wherein one of the reflectors is coupled to the mechanical structure and wherein the VCSEL outputs a signal having a wavelength corresponding to the physical phenomenon of interest.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.