Electro-optic voltage sensor head
US5939711A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 10, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 17, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 10, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/0305
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention is an electro-optic voltage sensor head designed for integration with existing types of high voltage transmission and distribution apparatus. The sensor head contains a transducer, which comprises a transducing material in which the Pockels electro-optic effect is observed. In the practice of the invention at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation is routed into the transducing material of the transducer in the sensor head. The beam undergoes an electro-optic effect in the sensor head when the transducing material is subjected to an E-field. The electro-optic effect is observed as a differential phase a shift, also called differential phase modulation, of the beam components in orthogonal planes of the electromagnetic radiation. In the preferred embodiment the beam is routed through the transducer along an initial axis and then reflected by a retro-reflector back substantially parallel to the initial axis, making a double pass through the transducer for increased measurement sensitivity. The preferred embodiment of the sensor head also includes a polarization state rotator and at least one beam splitter for orienting the beam along major and minor axes and for sp…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.