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US 12,339,300 B2Granted
Thin-film optical voltage sensor for voltage sensing
AssigneesThe Regents of the University of California, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Inc.
InventorsMichel M. Maharbiz, Jordan Edmunds, Soner Sonmezoglu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The following relates generally to optical voltage sensing, and in particular to optical voltage sensing of power grids and of a subject body. For example, some embodiments include an optical resonator comprising: (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate. A light source may illuminate the optical resonator of the voltage sensor with light comprising an incident optical power at an input wavelength, where the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator by a baseline voltage. The applied voltage may then be measured by measuring a reflected or transmitted light power.
Claims22
A method of measuring a voltage, the method comprising:
- applying a voltage to an optical resonator of a voltage sensor, the optical resonator including (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- illuminating, with a light source, the optical resonator of the voltage sensor with light including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage;
- and
- measuring the applied voltage by measuring a reflected light power reflected from the illumination by the optical resonator;
- wherein the measuring of the applied voltage occurs by determining a change in reflectance of the optical resonator caused by the applied voltage;
- and
- wherein the determining the change in reflectance includes determining the change in reflectance based on:
- (i) the incident optical power, (ii) the measured reflected light power, and (iii) a reflectance of the piezoelectric layer at the baseline voltage.
5 more elements
A method of measuring a voltage, the method comprising:
- applying a voltage to an optical resonator of a voltage sensor, the optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- illuminating, with a light source, the optical resonator of the voltage sensor with light including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage;
- and
- measuring the applied voltage by measuring a reflected light power reflected from the illumination by the optical resonator;
- wherein the measuring the applied voltage occurs by:
- determining a reflectance of the optical resonator at the applied voltage based on:
- (i) the incident optical power, and (ii) the measured reflected light power;
- determining a change in reflectance of the optical resonator from:
- (i) a baseline reflectance of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage to (ii) the determined reflectance of the optical resonator at the applied voltage;
- and
- determining the applied voltage based on the determined change in reflectance of the optical resonator.
9 more elements
A method of measuring a voltage, the method comprising:
- applying a voltage to an optical resonator of a voltage sensor, the optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- illuminating, with a light source, the optical resonator of the voltage sensor with light including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage;
- and
- measuring the applied voltage by measuring a reflected light power reflected from the illumination by the optical resonator;
- wherein the measuring the applied voltage occurs by:
- determining a reflectance of the optical resonator at the applied voltage based on:
- (i) the incident optical power, and (ii) the measured reflected light power;
- determining a change in reflectance of the optical resonator from:
- (i) a baseline reflectance of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage to (ii) the determined reflectance of the optical resonator at the applied voltage;
- and
- determining the applied voltage based on:
- (i) the determined change in reflectance of the optical resonator, and (ii) a sensor gain calculated based on:
- an amplitude of a resonant dip of a reflectance curve of the piezoelectric layer;
- a quality factor of the optical resonator;
- a thickness of the optical resonator;
- thickness mode piezoelectric strain coefficient of the piezoelectric layer;
- a refractive index of the piezoelectric layer;
- and
- a Pockels coefficient of the piezoelectric layer.
17 more elements
A method of measuring a voltage, the method comprising:
- applying a voltage to an optical resonator of a voltage sensor, the optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- illuminating, with a light source, the optical resonator of the voltage sensor with light including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator at a baseline voltage;
- and
- measuring the applied voltage by measuring a reflected light power reflected from the illumination by the optical resonator;
- wherein the input wavelength is a wavelength that is a steepest point of a reflectance curve of the piezoelectric layer.
3 more elements
An optical voltage sensor, comprising:
- optical resonator includes:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- and
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a reflected light power created by light incident on the optical resonator, the light incident on the optical resonator including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator;
- and
- measure, based on the reflected light power reflected from the optical resonator, an applied voltage applied to the optical resonator;
- wherein the optical resonator further includes a backside aluminum layer;
- and
- wherein the piezoelectric layer is positioned on a top of the substrate, and the backside aluminum layer is positioned on a bottom of the substrate.
7 more elements
An optical voltage sensor, comprising:
- optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- and
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a reflected light power created by light incident on the optical resonator, the light incident on the optical resonator including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator;
- and
- measure, based on the reflected light power reflected from the optical resonator, an applied voltage applied to the optical resonator;
- wherein:
- the optical resonator further includes a bond pad layer including titanium and aluminum;
- and
- the bond pad layer is positioned both on a top side of the piezoelectric layer, and a top side of the top electrode layer.
8 more elements
An optical voltage sensor, comprising:
- optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- and
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a reflected light power created by light incident on the optical resonator, the light incident on the optical resonator including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator;
- and
- measure, based on the reflected light power reflected from the optical resonator, an applied voltage applied to the optical resonator;
- wherein the top electrode layer includes a mirror layer including a plurality of through-holes connecting a top section of the top electrode layer to a bottom section of the top electrode layer.
5 more elements
An optical voltage sensor, comprising:
- optical resonator including:
- (i) a top electrode layer, (ii) a piezoelectric layer, and (iii) a substrate;
- one or more processors configured to:
- determine a reflected light power created by light incident on the optical resonator, the light incident on the optical resonator including an incident optical power at an input wavelength, wherein the input wavelength is offset from a resonant wavelength of the optical resonator;
- and
- measure, based on the reflected light power reflected from the optical resonator, an applied voltage applied to the optical resonator;
- and
- a sensing chip configured to sense a voltage of a subject, and amplify the voltage of the subject to produce the applied voltage applied to the optical resonator.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.