Characterization of small particles in liquid suspension by fiber-optofluidic platform

Abstract

A method for characterization of small particles in downstream regime of water suspension is presented. Lowcoherence interferometric technique, based on fiber-optic Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) integrated into the optofluidic platform, is applied for measuring refraction index and size, i.e. diameter of glass particles. Water suspension of glass balls and cylinders of different size (from 50-230μm in diameter) has been involved into the microchannels of the optofluidic platform under laminar flow. Two complementary algorithms have been applied for calculation of index of refraction and diameter of spherical glass parts out of raw interference signals. The accuracy of index of refraction measurement is about 1% that is predominantly determined by the accuracy of reading the position of mechanical scanner.