One-piece silicon substrate having fiber optic stops and a reflective surface thereon and methods of manufacturing same
First Claim
1. A fiber optic interferometric sensor comprising:
- a unitary integral substrate having a channel therein, said channel having an axis, said unitary integral substrate also including a reflective surface defining a plane perpendicular to said axis;
an optical fiber for conducting a light beam therethrough, said optical fiber having a terminated surface, said fiber extending axially within said channel, said terminated surface and said reflective surface being movable relative to one another in response to a phenomenon to be sensed, each of said terminated surface and said reflective surface being adapted to reflect a portion of said light beam so that light reflected from said terminated surface and said reflected surface is reconducted through said optical fiber; and
positioning means integral with said unitary integral substrate for positioning said optical fiber in said channel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Fiber optic interferometric sensors and methods of manufacturing same are disclosed. These sensors comprise a unitary substrate having a channel therein and an axis extending through the channel. The unitary substrate also comprises a reflective surface extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis. An optical fiber having a terminated surface thereon is also provided. The optical fiber extends axially within the channel and is arranged so that the terminated surface and the reflective surface are movable relative to one another in response to a phenomenon to be sensed. The unitary substrate also comprises positioning means integral therewith for positioning the optical fiber within the channel. The method of manufacturing the fiber optic interferometric sensors comprise the steps of providing a unitary substrate and forming a channel therein so that an axis extends therethrough. A reflective surface integrally formed with the substrate perpendicular to the axis of the channel and an optical fiber is then inserted therein.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A fiber optic interferometric sensor comprising:
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a unitary integral substrate having a channel therein, said channel having an axis, said unitary integral substrate also including a reflective surface defining a plane perpendicular to said axis; an optical fiber for conducting a light beam therethrough, said optical fiber having a terminated surface, said fiber extending axially within said channel, said terminated surface and said reflective surface being movable relative to one another in response to a phenomenon to be sensed, each of said terminated surface and said reflective surface being adapted to reflect a portion of said light beam so that light reflected from said terminated surface and said reflected surface is reconducted through said optical fiber; and positioning means integral with said unitary integral substrate for positioning said optical fiber in said channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A fiber optic interferometric sensing system comprising:
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a unitary integral substrate having a channel therein, said channel having an axis therethrough said unitary integral substrate also including a reflective surface defining a plane perpendicular to said axis; an optical fiber for conducting a light beam therethrough, said optical fiber having a terminated surface and a second surface remote from said terminated surface, said fiber extending axially within said channel, said terminated surface and said reflective surface being movable relative to one another in response to a phenomenon to be sensed, each of said terminated surface and said reflective surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of said light beam so that light reflected from said terminated surface and said reflective surface is reconducted through said optical fiber; positioning means integral with said substrate for positioning said optical fiber in said channel; a light source in communication with said second surface of said optical fiber for providing said light beam thereto, said optical fiber adapted to transport said light beam to said reflective surface and being further adapted to receive reflected light waves from said reflective surface and said terminated surface thereof and to reconduct said reflected light waves therethrough; and optical circuit means for measuring a phase shift in said light waves provided to said reflective surface dependent on said relative movement between said reflective surface and said terminated surface of said optical fiber.
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32. A method of manufacturing a fiber optic interferometric sensor comprising the steps of:
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providing a unitary integral substrate; forming a channel in said unitary integral substrate, said channel having an axis therethrough; forming a reflective surface integral with said substrate perpendicular to said axis of said channel; and inserting an optical fiber having a terminated surface thereon in said channel. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method of manufacturing a fiber optic interferometric sensor comprising the steps of providing a unitary integral substrate;
- forming an etch mask layer on said unitary integral substrate;
forming a channel in said unitary integral substrate, said channel having an axis therethrough;
forming a plurality of positioning studs in said channel, said positioning studs being integral with said substrate;
arranging at least two of said positioning studs on opposite sides of said channel so that a passageway is formed therebetween, said passageway being coaxial with said axis of said channel;
inserting an optical fiber having a terminated surface thereon between said positioning studs in said channel; and
forming a reflective surface integral with said substrate perpendicular to said axis of said channel, said reflective surface and said terminated surface of said optical fiber being arranged for relative movement therebetween along said axis of said channel. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
- forming an etch mask layer on said unitary integral substrate;
Specification