Interferometric sensor
First Claim
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1. An interferometric sensor comprising, in combination:
- a sensing element adapted to detect a required measurand and comprising a polarimetric interferometer device,means for illuminating said polarimetric device with an input beam of polarised light, whereby to cause two light beams to propagate in said polarimetric device and produce two output beams therefrom,means for deriving a reference beam of light from said input beam,means for mixing said two output beams from said polarimetric device and one of said output beams and said reference beam, respectively, to produce two interference signals corresponding respectively to the phase differences between said two output beams and said one output beam and said reference beam, respectively, andmeans for monitoring and processing said two interference signals to produce a measurement of said measurand.
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Abstract
An interferometric sensor includes an optical fiber polarimetric sensing element (5) for detecting a required measurand and is configured so as to derive interference output signals, which are simultaneously monitored by photodetectors (9, 11), from both conventional, for example, Michelson, and polarimetric interferometer arrangements. The sensor therefore offers the high resolution of a conventional interferometer in conjunction with the increased dynamic range of a polarimetric device.
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14 Claims
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1. An interferometric sensor comprising, in combination:
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a sensing element adapted to detect a required measurand and comprising a polarimetric interferometer device, means for illuminating said polarimetric device with an input beam of polarised light, whereby to cause two light beams to propagate in said polarimetric device and produce two output beams therefrom, means for deriving a reference beam of light from said input beam, means for mixing said two output beams from said polarimetric device and one of said output beams and said reference beam, respectively, to produce two interference signals corresponding respectively to the phase differences between said two output beams and said one output beam and said reference beam, respectively, and means for monitoring and processing said two interference signals to produce a measurement of said measurand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification