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An index of refraction sensor utilizing a sensor face inclined at the nominal critical angle of an incident beam, refracts or reflects this incident radiation depending upon the wavelength of that radiation and the index of refraction external to it. The refraction sensor apparatus includes a broadb

An index of refraction sensor utilizing a sensor face inclined at the nominal critical angle of an incident beam, refracts or reflects this incident radiation depending upon the wavelength of that radiation and the index of refraction external to it. The refraction sensor apparatus includes a broadband radiant energy source, a radiant energy guidance and collimating means, a prism sensing element interposed in the radiant energy guide, and a detector for continuously detecting the spectral intensities of the broadband radiant energy reflected by the prism sensing element. Advantageously, a single mode optical fiber may be used as the radiant energy guidance and collimating means for directing the broadband radiant energy to the prism and a multimode optical fiber may be used for returning the reflected radiant energy to the detector. The prism sensing element is fabricated of a suitable transparent material, that material ranging from silica to dense flint glass to titanium dioxide depending upon the desired optical dispersion and sensitivity. Additionally, the single mode optical fiber end itself can be ground and polished to be the prism sensing element and, with a mirrored face at a particular angle to the reflected ray, the single mode fiber can also be the return guidance means to the detector.

대표청구항 ▼

An index of refraction sensor for monitoring the index of refraction of a material external to a sensing face on the sensor by establishing at least one critical wavelength comprising in combination: a first radiant energy path means comprising a single mode optical fiber waveguide and a second radi

An index of refraction sensor for monitoring the index of refraction of a material external to a sensing face on the sensor by establishing at least one critical wavelength comprising in combination: a first radiant energy path means comprising a single mode optical fiber waveguide and a second radiant energy path means comprising an optical fiber waveguide, said second optical fiber waveguide capable of being long enough to allow remote detection of the index of refraction; a broad-band radiant energy source means optically coupled to said first radiant energy path means, having a band width chosen to span any of said critical wavelengths expected in a given application; collimating means within the radiant energy path to render the incident radiant energy a parallel beam; sensing means prismatically configured so as to provide a direct reflective path from said first waveguide means, through said sensing means, to said second waveguide means, said sensing means possessing a sensing face which reflects a portion of the broadband incident radiant energy as a function of the index of refraction of the material external to the prism sensor face, the portion including any of said expected critical wavelengths; detecting and monitoring means optically coupled to said second radiant energy path means for simultaneously and continuously detecting the intensities of the separate wavelengths of the broad-band radiant energy that is reflected from the prism sensor face to the detector, the detecting means continuously correlating said at least one wavelengths where the reflected spectral intensity abruptly changes with the index of refraction of the material external to the sensing means.