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US 11,993,535 B2Granted
Fiber optic temperature measurement with quantum dot nanocomposite
AssigneeWeinert Industries AG
InventorsClaudia Maier, Hakan Sayinç
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method and device for fiber optic temperature measurement. The invention also relates to a multimode quartz glass fiber with nanocomposite (NK) containing a polymer and quantum dots (QDs) and its manufacture. These are based on temperature-dependent emission of quantum dots on the surface of optical fibers.
Claims18
A method of measuring temperature at one or more measuring point(s) by means of a sensor arrangement comprising:
- a transmitter unit;
- a receiver unit;
- a connection arrangement containing a multimode quartz glass fiber, connecting the transmitter unit and the receiver unit;
- wherein the transmitter unit is adapted to couple an optical signal into the multimode quartz glass fiber or to radiate it into a cladding layer, the optical signal being suitable for exciting quantum dots of the multimode quartz glass fiber in dependence on the temperature at the measuring point(s), and the receiver unit is adapted to receive a temperature-dependent optical signal thus generated, wherein the temperature at the measuring point(s) is derivable from the temperature-dependent optical signal;
- the method comprising the following steps:
- emitting an optical signal by means of the transmitter unit, whereby the optical signal impinges on the quantum dots in a nanocomposite;
- coupling of the light emitted by the quantum dots, which represents the temperature-dependent optical signal, or which generates the temperature-dependent optical signal by superposition with the optical signal, into the connection arrangement;
- conducting the temperature-dependent optical signal coupled into the connection arrangement to the receiver unit;
- and
- receiving the temperature-dependent optical signal by means of the receiver unit in such a way that information about the temperature at one or more measuring point(s) can be derived from the temperature-dependent optical signal by the receiver unit;
- and wherein the multimode quartz glass fiber comprises:
- a) a fiber core of quartz glass,
- b) the cladding layer, and
- c) the nanocomposite, wherein the nanocomposite contains one or more UV-cured polymers and one or more types of quantum dots capable of emitting one or more central wavelengths;
- and wherein the nanocomposite either
- i) forms the cladding layer, wherein the cladding layer is applied directly onto the fiber core, wherein the nanocomposite has a lower refractive index at the central wavelength of the quantum dots or one of the central wavelengths than the quartz glass of the fiber core, at that central wavelength;
- or
- ii) is formed as a front surface of an end of the quartz glass fiber or as a front surface between two sections of the quartz glass fiber.
15 more elements
A sensor arrangement adapted for measuring temperature at one or more measuring point(s), comprising:
- a transmitter unit;
- a receiver unit;
- a connection arrangement containing a multimode quartz glass fiber, connecting the transmitter unit and the receiver unit;
- wherein the transmitter unit is adapted to couple an optical signal into the multimode quartz glass fiber or to radiate it into a cladding layer, the optical signal being suitable for exciting quantum dots of the multimode quartz glass fiber in dependence on the temperature at the measuring point(s), and the receiver unit is adapted to receive a temperature-dependent optical signal thus generated, wherein the temperature at the measuring point(s) is derivable from the temperature-dependent optical signal, the sensor arrangement being operable to measure temperature at the one or more measuring point(s) by:
- emitting an optical signal by means of the transmitter unit, whereby the optical signal impinges on the quantum dots in a nanocomposite;
- coupling of the light emitted by the quantum dots, which represents the temperature-dependent optical signal, or which generates the temperature dependent optical signal by superposition with the optical signal, into the connection arrangement;
- conducting the temperature-dependent optical signal coupled into the connection arrangement to the receiver unit;
- and
- receiving the temperature-dependent optical signal by means of the receiver unit in such a way that information about the temperature at one or more measuring point(s) can be derived from the temperature-dependent optical signal by the receiver unit;
- and wherein the multimode quartz glass fiber comprises:
- a) a fiber core of quartz glass,
- b) the cladding layer, and
- c) the nanocomposite, wherein the nanocomposite contains one or more UV-cured polymers and one or more types of quantum dots capable of emitting one or more central wavelengths;
- and wherein the nanocomposite either
- i) forms the cladding layer, wherein the cladding layer is applied directly onto the fiber core, wherein the nanocomposite has a lower refractive index at the central wavelength of the quantum dots or one of the central wavelengths than the quartz glass of the fiber core, at that central wavelength;
- or
- ii) is formed as a front surface of an end of the quartz glass fiber or as a front surface between two sections of the quartz glass fiber.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.