IN-LINE FIBER OPTIC SENSOR DEVICES AND METHODS OF FABRICATING SAME
First Claim
1. An in-line optical fiber sensor device to sense environmental information, the device comprising:
- an optical input portion and an optical collector portion, both portions operatively configured to carry an optical signal;
an environmental sensing region disposed between the input portion and the collector portion such that the input portion provides an optical signal to the environmental sensing region and the collector portion receives an optical signal from the environmental sensing region; and
the environmental sensing region configured to have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the optical input portion and the optical collector portion so that outer surfaces of the optical input portion, the optical collector portion, and the environmental sensing region are substantially co-planar.
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Abstract
In-line fiber optic structure devices for use as environmental sensors and methods of fabricating in-line fiber optic structures as environmental sensors are disclosed and provided. According to some embodiments, fiber optic sensor devices can utilize the interaction of surface plasmons or evanescent waves with a surrounding environment. Fiber optic sensors according to some embodiments of the present invention provide an optical fiber with a long environmental interaction length having improved structural integrity. Graded-index optical fiber elements can be used as lenses and a coreless optical fiber element can act as an environmental interaction or sensing area. Graded-index and coreless optical elements can be fused to provide a continuous fiber optic sensing system. Other various embodiments are also claimed and described.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An in-line optical fiber sensor device to sense environmental information, the device comprising:
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an optical input portion and an optical collector portion, both portions operatively configured to carry an optical signal; an environmental sensing region disposed between the input portion and the collector portion such that the input portion provides an optical signal to the environmental sensing region and the collector portion receives an optical signal from the environmental sensing region; and the environmental sensing region configured to have a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the optical input portion and the optical collector portion so that outer surfaces of the optical input portion, the optical collector portion, and the environmental sensing region are substantially co-planar. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method to fabricate an in-line optical fiber sensor to sense environmental information corresponding to an environment, the method comprising:
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providing an input fiber component and a collector fiber component both adapted to carry an optical signal; providing a sensing fiber component adapted to carry an optical signal and having a diameter substantially equal to the input fiber component and the collector fiber; and disposing the sensing fiber component between the input fiber component and the collector fiber component such that the input fiber component, sensing fiber component, and collector fiber component form a continuous in-line optical fiber sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A fiber optic sensing system including at least a plurality of environmental fiber optic sensors for sensing information associated with a surrounding environment corresponding to the plurality of environment fiber optic sensors, the system comprising:
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a first fiber optical sensor placed at a first location in a fiber optic waveguide, the first fiber sensor comprising a first environmental sensing region incorporating a first metallic structure adapted to enable an optical signal to interact with a surrounding environment and produce a resulting optical signal of a first predetermined wavelength; and a second fiber optical sensor placed at a second location in a fiber optic waveguide, the second fiber sensor comprising a second environmental sensing region incorporating a second metallic structure adapted to enable an optical signal to interact with a surrounding environment and produce a resulting optical signal of a second predetermined wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification