Microring structure for flexible polymer waveguide-based optical pressure sensing

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Flexible pressure sensors are crucial for developing artificial smart skins.
• Photonic devices offer innovative methods for fabricating high-performance pressure sensors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel flexible waveguide-based optical pressure sensor utilizing a microring structure.
• To demonstrate its capability in characterizing pressure changes and detecting physiological signals.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a flexible waveguide-based optical pressure sensor with a five-cascade microring array (1500 µm × 500 µm).
• Utilizing changes in output power to linearly correlate with applied pressure.
• Testing the sensor's response to various stimuli, including pulse signals, swallowing, and hand gestures.

Main Results:

• The sensor exhibits a sensing range of 0-60 kPa with a sensitivity of 23.14 µW/kPa.
• Demonstrated accurate detection of physiological signals like pulse, swallowing, and hand gestures.
• Confirmed good output linearity and high integration density of the microring array structure.

Conclusions:

• The developed waveguide-based optical pressure sensor is a promising candidate for artificial smart skin applications.
• The sensor offers advantages such as excellent output linearity, high integration density, and ease of array construction.
• This technology enables sensitive and versatile pressure detection for various human-interactive applications.