Testing of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) for optimization purposes or reliability checks can be supported by device visualization whenever an optical access is available. The difficulty in such an investigation is the short time duration of dynamical phenomena in micro devices. This paper presents a test setup to visualize movements within MEMS in real-time and in two perpendicular directions. A three-dimensional view is achieved by the combination of a commercial high-speed camera system, which allows to take up to 8 images of the same process with a minimum interframe time of 10 ns for the first direction, with a second visualization system consisting of a highly sensitive CCD camera working with a multiple exposure LED illumination in the perpendicular direction. Well synchronized this provides 3-D information which is treated by digital image processing to correct image distortions and to perform the detection of object contours. Symmetric and asymmetric binary collisions of micro drops are chosen as test experiments, featuring coalescence and surface rupture. Another application shown here is the investigation of sprays produced by an atomizer. The second direction of view is a prerequisite for this measurement to select an intended plane of focus.

Date Published: 23 October 2001
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 4400, Microsystems Engineering: Metrology and Inspection, (23 October 2001); doi: 10.1117/12.445599

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4400:
Microsystems Engineering: Metrology and Inspection
Christophe Gorecki; Werner P. O. Jueptner; Malgorzata Kujawinska, Editor(s)