초록 ▼

The invention relates to optical devices for sensing and measuring various physical parameters. More particularly, this invention relates to an optical device having a spectral modulation sensor in which the physical parameter being measured causes spectral changes in the reflectivity and/or transmi

The invention relates to optical devices for sensing and measuring various physical parameters. More particularly, this invention relates to an optical device having a spectral modulation sensor in which the physical parameter being measured causes spectral changes in the reflectivity and/or transmission of the sensor\s optically resonant structure, thereby spectrally modulating the output light from the sensor as a function of the physical parameter being measured.

대표청구항 ▼

An optical measuring device for measuring a range of values for a sensed physical parameter, comprising: a source of input measuring light of at least two wavelengths; an optically resonant structure having an optically sensitive physical characteristic which changes as a function of said sensed phy

An optical measuring device for measuring a range of values for a sensed physical parameter, comprising: a source of input measuring light of at least two wavelengths; an optically resonant structure having an optically sensitive physical characteristic which changes as a function of said sensed physical parameter, said optically resonant structure producing spectrally modulated output measuring light by spectrally modulating said input measuring light as a function of said changes of said optically sensitive physical characteristic by means of corresponding microshifts produced by said changes on at least one operating segment on an output curve, said output curve representing at least one of the reflectivity and transmissivity curves of said optically resonant structure; said input measuring light, said optically resonant structure and said at least one operating segment being selected such that: (1) said at least two wavelengths of said input measuring light fall substantially within said at least one operating segment which, over said range of values for said sensed physical parameter, is less than about one resonance cycle in length and is microshifted less than about one resonance cycle, and such that (2) said spectrally modulated output measuring light of said optically resonant structure bears a unique one-to-one relation to said sensed physical parameter over said range of values; detector means for deriving two electrical signals corresponding to any two different wavelength portions of said spectrally modulated output measuring light and for taking the ratio of said two electrical signals to provide an output measuring electrical signal which is a function of said sensed physical parameter; and light transmission means for conveying said input measuring light from said source to said optically resonant structure and for conveying said spectrally modulated output measuring light from said optically resonant structure to said detector means.