Electro-optical sensor for high intensity electric field measurement
AssigneeNational Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
InventorsIsrael Owens, Andrew Charles Biller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an electro-optical sensor for high intensity electric field measurement. The electro-optical sensor was used to measure a strong 118 MV/m narrow pulse width (˜33 ns) electric field in the magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) of a pulsed power accelerator. Accurately measuring these high fields using conventional pulsed power diagnostics is difficult due to the strength of interfering particles and fields. The electro-optical sensor uses a free space laser beam with a dielectric crystal sensor that is highly immune to electromagnetic interference and does not require an external calibration.
Claims10
An electro-optical sensor for electric field measurement, comprising:
- a light source that provides a light beam;
- a first linear polarizer that produces a linearly polarized light beam from the light beam;
- an electro-optical crystal that rotates the polarization of the linearly polarized light beam that propagates along an optical axis of the electro-optical crystal to provide a rotated linearly polarized light beam whose rotation is dependent upon the strength of an electric field applied transverse to the optical axis of the electro-optical crystal;
- a second linear polarizer that is aligned perpendicular to the first linear polarizer, thereby providing crossed linear polarizers, such that second linear polarizer transmits a light beam dependent upon the rotation of the polarization by the electro-optical crystal;
- and
- a photodetector that measures the intensity of the transmitted light beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.