Integrated Blood Flowmeter Using Micromachining Technology

摘要

In these applications, it is most important that the sensors are small and light so that they can be worn comfortably. This paper discusses a new design for a very small lightweight blood flowmeter that permits real-time monitoring of capillary microcirculation for a wearable health monitoring system. The hybrid-integrated structure includes an InGaAsP/InP distributed feedback laser diode (DFB LD) with a wavelength of 1310 nm, an edge-illuminated photodiode (PD) and polyimide waveguides on silicon substrate (2 × 3 mm~2). This flowmeter is much smaller than a previously reported compact one in which a packaged semiconductor laser is mounted together with the detectors in a small probe. In-vivo experiments concerning blood perfusion in a finger capillary confirm the feasibility of the blood flow meter.