Silicon-based guided-wave optical flow sensor using a diaphragm with a small opening as an orifice

Abstract

Our proposed silicon-based guided-wave optical flow sensor consists of a diaphragm with a small opening used as an orifice and a waveguide across the diaphragm. The sensor operates based on Bernoulli’s theorem and the elasto-optic effect. A sensor, which had a 10×10-mm 2 , 50- μ m -thick diaphragm with a 0.34 × 0.34-mm 2 opening, was fabricated to demonstrate and confirm the sensor operation. Measured output power as a function of flow rate using oxygen gas agreed quite well with the theoretical prediction although slight deviation was seen in the high flow rate region. Moreover, according to Bernoulli’s theorem, sensitivity is strongly dependent on sectional area of opening. So, three sensors with different opening areas, such as 0.28 × 0.28 , 0.34 × 0.34 , and 0. 55× 0.55 mm 2 , were fabricated to examine such a dependence, which would be helpful to design the sensor. The measured sensitivity was found to be almost proportional to area of the opening, similar to the theoretical prediction.