Method and apparatus for measuring the temperature profile of a surface

• US 4,819,658 A
• Filed: 06/30/1987
• Issued: 04/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kolodner, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis
• Application Number:
  US07/065,619
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 374/120, 374/161-162, 128/736, 128/665-667
• US Class Current: 600/549
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 11/20 using thermoluminescent materials G01K11/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 25/72 Investigating presence of flaws

Abstract

A method and apparatus for measuring the temperature profile of a surface exhibiting spatial and/or temporal variations in temperature, e.g., the surface of a machine or of a biological system, is disclosed. The inventive method involves forming a layer of fluorescent material, less than about 10 μm in thickness, in thermal contact with the surface. The fluorescent material is subjected to fluorescence-inducing energy, and the resulting fluorescence, which varies as the temperature of the surface varies, is detected.

Claims

1. A method for measuring a temperature profile of a surface exhibiting spatial and/or temporal variations in temperature, comprising the steps of:

forming a layer, including fluorescent material, in thermal contact with said surface, the fluorescence of said material varying as the temperature of said surface varies;

subjecting said material to fluorescence-inducing energy; and

detecting the resulting fluorescence of said material, characterized in that

said fluorescent material is essentially free of inorganic material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said surface is a surface of a biological system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said biological system is a human being.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said biological system is an internal organ of a human being.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said material fluoresces in first and second wavelengths or wavelength bands.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a ratio of an intensity of the fluorescence in said first wavelength or wavelength band to an intensity of the fluorescence in said second wavelength or wavelength band varies as a known function of the temperature of said surface.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said fluorescent material includes organic material.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes Europium Thenoyltrifluoroacetonate.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes perdeutero-(tris-6,6,7,7,7,8,8-heptafluoro-2,2-dimethyl-3,5 octanedionate).

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes p-bis[2-(5-phenyloxazolyl)]benzene (POPOP).

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes dimethyl POPOP.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes dimethyl stilbene.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes 1,6-disphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes bis(isopropylstyryl) benzene.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes p-bis(o-methylstyryl)benzene.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes 1,3,6,8-tetraphenyl pyrene.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes decacyclene.

18. The method of claim 7 wherein said organic material includes 2,5-bis[5-tert-butylbenzoxazolyl(2 )]thiophene.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said layer has a thickness less than 8c 10 μ

m.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said layer has a thickness less than 5 μ

m.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said layer has a thickness less than 1 μ

m.

22. An apparatus for measuring a temperature profile of a surface exhibiting spatial and/or temporal variations in temperature, comprising:

a layer, including fluorescent material, capable of being positioned in thermal contact with said surface, the fluorescence of said material varying as the temperature of said surface varies;

means for inducing said fluorescent material to fluoresce; and

means for detecting the resulting fluorescence, characterized in that

said fluorescent material is essentially free of inorganic material.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for detecting fluorescence includes a CCD camera.

24. A method for measuring a temperature profile of a surface exhibiting spatial and/or temporal variations in temperature, comprising the steps of:

forming a layer, including fluorescent material, in thermal contact with said surface, the fluorescence of said material varying as the temperature of said surface varies;

subjecting said material to fluorescence-inducing energy; and

detecting the resulting fluorescence of said material, characterized in that

said forming step includes the steps of spin-depositing said layer onto a substrate, and positioning the resulting layer-covered substrate in thermal contact with said surface.