Distributed fiber optic sensor using clad material light backscattering
US5191206A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 16, 1991 |
| Grant date | Mar 2, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 16, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/4709
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A distributed fiber-optic sensor is obtained by using cladding that produces a change in the intensity of scattered light in the cladding of an optical fiber in response to a change in the environment of the cladding. The change in clad scattered light is coupled into the core causing a change in the intensity of backscattered light in the core. A sensing means such as an optical time domain refractometer is used to determine the change in intensity of the core backscattered light at a specific location along the fiber. The change in intensity of the scattered light in the clad is caused by overall changes in the amount of light in the cladding and changes in the number, size or both of the refractive index inhomogeneities in the cladding. These inhomogeneities can be, but are not limited to, composition variations, density variations of the same composition, phase separations, voids, or particulate inclusions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.