The Big Power of Miniature Optical Sensors

Miniature optical sensors are small but highly effective devices that can detect and measure light or optical signals with precision and reliability. Unlike standard optical sensors, which may not perform well in demanding medical and semiconductor settings, these advanced miniature sensors are specifically designed for high-precision applications. Their flexibility also makes them ideal for various complex industrial challenges.

Miniature optical sensors power precise detection in critical applications

In medical applications, miniature optical sensors enhance diagnostics, monitoring, and treatment processes by:

• Lab-on-a-chip microfluidics: Enables quick and accurate testing of biological samples, like blood or saliva, to check for diseases and health conditions. It provides real-time information, which helps doctors make faster diagnoses.

• Liquid presence and level detection: Keeps track of fluid levels in drip containers and pipettes to prevent overflows or shortages, ensuring patient safety.

• Turbidity of solutions: Checks that only clear, clean fluids are used in medical treatments, such as IV therapy.

• Bubble detection: Identifies tiny and larger bubbles in fluids in real time, allowing healthcare providers to act quickly to reduce risks.

In semiconductor manufacturing, these sensors are used for:

• Wafer presence detection: Ensures wafers are correctly positioned on robotic arms, preventing damage during transport.

• Wafer mapping and centering: Maps the exact position of wafers on substrates, which is crucial for high precision in photolithography and fabrication.

Monitoring wafers in transfer chambers: Tracks wafer status during transfers between processing stations, detecting obstructions or misalignments for safe handling. Other industrial applications that benefit from these sensors include packaging pharmaceuticals, detecting extremely small parts, and spray detection. Their compact size and high performance make them ideal for customer designs tailored to specific applications.

Remote amplifiers allow compact, flexible sensing

Miniature optical sensors need a separate amplifier to boost the electrical signals they produce when they detect light. Some design engineers might be unsure about using this because of its extra cost and installation work. However, remote amplifiers have several key benefits:

• They separate the optical and control parts, making the sensor head small and compact.

• The LED light and receiver are in the sensor head and connect to the amplifier with a thin wire.

• Unlike fiber optics, these wired connections can bend easily and take up less space.

Advanced features for smaller, smarter optical sensing

The latest amplifiers are flexible and come with advanced features, including:

• An OLED display with user-friendly menus

• LED lights that show status, communication, and warnings

• Teaching methods, including direct, dynamic, external, automatic, and IO-Link

• Adjustable settings for power, output, and speed

• The ability to sync up to eight amplifiers automatically

• Configurable delays and response settings

• Full compatibility with all types of sensor heads

Compact, customizable, and lens-free heads

Optical heads come in many shapes and sizes and can be customized. They are made with high-precision components like LEDs, photodiodes, phototransistors, and laser modules. They follow a patented manufacturing process that removes the need for extra lenses or openings.

Miniature sensors with top optics and flexible design

These miniature optical sensors stand out from conventional designs thanks to:

• Exceptional optical quality

• Modular and customizable designs

• Their range of standard options and solutions is tailored for specific applications

Whether you choose an off-the-shelf, ready-made model or a fully customized one, these sensors deliver the performance and flexibility needed for today’s most demanding automation tasks.