Single fiber Sagnac sensing system
US6459486B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 8, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01H9/004
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The system includes a generally broadband, low coherence length light source that injects light into a fiber beamsplitter that is used to generate counterpropagating light beams in a Sagnac loop. The loop includes two facing fiber beamsplitters connected together at differing length inner legs, with one of the output legs of the second beamsplitter usually being connected to an optical fiber that ends with a phase modulator followed by a mirror. Environmental effects at the optical fiber impress relative phase differences between the counterpropagating light beams, which are detected from an interferometric signal that results therefrom.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.