Development of a micro-optical distance sensor

Abstract A micro-optical distance sensor has been developed by a combination of LIGA technology and Si micromachining in order to meet industrial demands for miniaturization and low cost. The function of the distance sensor is based on the triangulation principle. This sensor consists of optical components made by the LIGA process, i.e. a free space micro-optical system and micro-cylindrical lenses, and an electrical base with opto-electrical devices. In this paper, one of prototype sensors will be described, which has a measurement range of 1 mm and repeatability error of