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Thin-film fiber optic hydrogen and temperature sensor system

  • US 5,783,152 A
  • Filed: 03/24/1997
  • Issued: 07/21/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A sensor system capable of measuring hydrogen concentrations and temperatures comprising:

  • a sensor probe having a rigid housing with one distal open end;

    a light transparent lens inside said sensor probe with one end oriented toward the distal open end of the sensor probe and the other end of said lens oriented toward the proximal closed end of the sensor probe;

    a sem-conducting solid that is transparent above a temperature dependent minimum wavelength, forming a layer on the distal end of said lens inside said sensor probe;

    a reflective metal material that forms a metal hydride upon absorbing hydrogen, forming a layer on top of and contiguous with said semi-conducting solid layer inside said sensor probe;

    a coating of hydrogen permeable material on top of, distal, and contiguous with said reflective metal material layer within said sensor probe;

    a rigid connector at the proximal end of said sensor probe;

    first and second optical fibers positioned at a focal point of the lens inside said sensor probe by a fiber-optic terminator and connector at the proximal end of said sensor probe;

    a means for generating light comprising a broad-band light source;

    a fiber-optic cable comprising said first and second optical fibers, said first optical fiber connecting the sensor probe to said source of broad-band light;

    a controlling processor;

    a means for analysis of light information from said sensor probe comprising a spectrometer; and

    a means for transmission of light from said reflective metal material layer and said semi-conducting solid layer to said means for analysis.

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