Method for measuring volume by an optical surface profilometer in a micromechanical device and a system for carrying out said measurement
First Claim
1. A method of measuring a volume in a fluid flow micromechanical device by optically measuring the profile of a surface therein, said micromechanical device comprising a stack covered by a transparent closure plate, said stack comprising a support plate and a silicon wafer covering said support plate and itself covered by the closure plate, at least one cavity being formed between said closure plate and said silicon wafer, a moving member formed in the silicon wafer being suitable for moving towards and away from the support plate respectively between first and second positions that define a variation in the volume of said cavity, the method comprising:
- a) providing and positioning an optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring a profile of a surface in such a manner that a face of the moving member facing towards the closure plate is a reference face for the measurement;
b) providing image acquisition and processor means enabling images coming from the optical profile measuring apparatus to be acquired and processed;
c) placing said moving member in said first position and activating said optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring the profile of the surface to direct a light beam on said reference face; and
activating the image acquisition and processor means to obtain a first image of said reference face in said first position of the moving member;
d) placing said moving member in said second position and activating said optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring the profile of the surface to direct a light beam on said reference face; and
activating the image acquisition and processor means to obtain a second image of said reference face in said second position of the moving member; and
e) comparing said second image with said first image of said reference face to determine the variation in the volume of the cavity caused by the deformation of the moving member.
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Abstract
A method of measuring a volume in a fluid flow micromechanical device includes: a) providing and positioning an optical apparatus for measuring the profile of a surface; b) providing a device for acquiring and processing the images coming from the optical apparatus for measuring a profile; c) placing the moving member in a first position and then in a second position, and activating the optical apparatus for measuring the profile of the surface to direct a light beam on the reference face, and activating the image acquisition and processor device to obtain a first image in the first position of the moving member and a second image in the second position; and d) comparing the second image with the first image of the reference face to determine the variation in the volume of the cavity generated by the deformation of the moving member.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of measuring a volume in a fluid flow micromechanical device by optically measuring the profile of a surface therein, said micromechanical device comprising a stack covered by a transparent closure plate, said stack comprising a support plate and a silicon wafer covering said support plate and itself covered by the closure plate, at least one cavity being formed between said closure plate and said silicon wafer, a moving member formed in the silicon wafer being suitable for moving towards and away from the support plate respectively between first and second positions that define a variation in the volume of said cavity, the method comprising:
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a) providing and positioning an optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring a profile of a surface in such a manner that a face of the moving member facing towards the closure plate is a reference face for the measurement; b) providing image acquisition and processor means enabling images coming from the optical profile measuring apparatus to be acquired and processed; c) placing said moving member in said first position and activating said optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring the profile of the surface to direct a light beam on said reference face; and
activating the image acquisition and processor means to obtain a first image of said reference face in said first position of the moving member;d) placing said moving member in said second position and activating said optical profile measuring apparatus for measuring the profile of the surface to direct a light beam on said reference face; and
activating the image acquisition and processor means to obtain a second image of said reference face in said second position of the moving member; ande) comparing said second image with said first image of said reference face to determine the variation in the volume of the cavity caused by the deformation of the moving member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A measurement assembly for measuring volume by optically measuring a profile of a surface in a fluid flow micromechanical device, said measurement assembly comprising:
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a micromechanical device comprising a stack covered by a transparent closure plate, said stack comprising a support plate and a silicon wafer covering said support plate and itself covered by said closure plate, at least one cavity being formed between said closure plate and said silicon wafer, a moving member formed in the silicon wafer being suitable for moving towards and away from the support plate between first and second positions that define a variation in the volume of said cavity; an optical profile measuring apparatus for optically measuring the profile of a surface, the optical profile measuring apparatus being mounted in such a manner that the face of the moving member facing towards the closure plate is a reference face for measurement when a light beam is directed onto the fluid flow micromechanical device; and image acquisition and processor means enabling images coming from the optical profile measuring apparatus to be acquired and processed and enabling the variation in the volume of the cavity generated by deformation of the moving member to be determined by comparing a first image of said reference face in said first position of the moving member with a second image of said reference face in said second position of the moving member. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification