Integrated Optical Tactile Array for Robotics and Automation Applications

这是第二阶段的SBIR奖。在第一阶段中，已经论证了利用压力诱导双折射制造光学力传感器的技术可行性。这项研究表明，可以制造出动态范围大、噪声低、对各向同性环境变化(如温度和压力)灵敏度低的小型力/压力传感器。第二阶段的研究将包括制造由砷化镓/砷化镓铝制成的集成光学触觉阵列。为了实现这一点，将对阵列所需的子元素进行建模、表征和测试。这些元件包括波导、反射器、特定波长的分束器、N路分束器、透镜和光学互连。制造将使用分子束外延完成。光学触觉传感器将是一个3X3阵列，感应点位于1 mm的中心，能够分辨不到1毫牛顿的力。

This is a Phase II SBIR award. Under Phase I, the technical feasibility of producing an optical force sensor using pressure- induced birefringence has been demonstrated. This research demonstrated that a small force/pressure sensor could be made that has a large dynamic range, low noise, and low sensitivity to isotropic environmental changes such as temperature and pressure. The Phase II research will include the fabrication of an integrated optical tactile array made of gallium arsenide/gallium aluminum arsenide. To accomplish this, the sub-elements required for the array will be modeled, characterized and tested. These elements include waveguides, reflectors, wavelength-specific beam splitters, N-way splitters, lenses, and optical interconnects. The fabrication will be done using molecular beam epitaxy. The optical tactile transducer will be a 3X3 array with sensing sites on 1 mm centers and will be capable of resolving forces of less that one milli-Newton.