Tunnel effect wave energy detection

• US 5,449,909 A
• Filed: 10/25/1993
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Kaiser, William J., Kenny, Thomas W., Waltman, Steven B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HANIG, RICHARD E
• Application Number:
  US08/140,854
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 250/336.1, 250/338.1, 73/862.625, 73/178 R, 73/763, 73/862.634, 73/865.5
• US Class Current: 250/336.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0894 by non-contact electron transfer, i.e. electron tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/125 by capacitive pick-up
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/131 with electrostatic counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/132 with electromagnetic counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/133 with piezoelectric counterbalancing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 2015/0828 the mass being of the paddle type being suspended at one of its longitudinal ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/852 for detection of specific nanostructure sample or nanostructure-related property

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for measuring gravitational and inertial forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on an object or fluid in space provide an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and that object or fluid in space and vary that gap with any selected one of such forces, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy acting on that object or fluid. These methods and apparatus sense a corresponding variation in an electric property of that gap and determine the latter force, magnetic fields, or wave or radiant energy in response to that corresponding variation, and thereby sense or measure such parameters as acceleration, position, particle mass, velocity, magnetic field strength, presence or direction, or wave or radiant energy intensity, presence or direction.

Claims

1. A method of measuring inertial forces acting on an object in space, comprising in combination the steps of:

providing an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and said object in space;

impacting wave energy on said object;

varying said gap with inertial forces acting on said object from said impacting wave energy and sensing corresponding variations in an electrical property of said gap; and

determining said inertial forces for detection of said wave energy from said corresponding variations in said electrical property.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of:

determining a parameter of said wave energy from said corresponding variations in said electrical property.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said wave energy is acoustic energy impacted on said object; and

said gap is varied with inertial forces acting on said object from said impacting acoustic energy.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, including the step of:

determining a parameter of said acoustic energy from the corresponding variations in said electrical property.

5. Apparatus for measuring inertial forces acting on an object in space, comprising in combination:

means for providing an electric tunneling current through a gap between an electrode and said object in space;

means for impacting wave energy on said object;

means for varying said gap with inertial forces acting on said object from said impacting wave energy and sensing corresponding variations in an electrical property of said gap; and

means for determining said inertial forces for detection of said wave energy from said corresponding variations in said electrical property.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, including:

means for determining a parameter of said wave energy from said corresponding variations in said electrical property.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said wave energy is acoustic energy impacted on said object; and

said means for varying said gap include means for varying said gap with inertial forces acting on said object from said impacting acoustic energy.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, including:

means for determining a parameter of said acoustic energy from the corresponding variations in said electrical property.