Integrated Micro-Displacement Sensor that can Measure Tilting or Linear Motion for an External Mirror

An integrated optical micro-displacement sensor was developed that uses the beam diverging from a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL). The sensor consists of a VCSEL of 1.5 mmtimes1.5 mmtimes1 mm that is surrounded by three photodiodes. It can measure the linear distance traveled or the tilting angle for an external mirror. The resolution is 10 nm for a measurement range of 0.4 mm, or less than 40 nm for a wider measurement range of 1.8 mm. The full range of the measurable tilting angle is 5deg. The sensors can be incorporated into devices with micro-mirrors, such as integrated scanning microscopes