Sensor with a light guide connection

A method for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor (10), the electrical conductor (10) being integrated in a first component (1), wherein a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3) is fixed in position relative to the electrical conductor (10) and is connected via a connection line (4) to a second component (2) in which an evaluation device (23) is integrated, and is read out by the evaluation device (23), wherein a light guide is used as the connection line (4), the first and second components (1, 2) are releasably connected to one another via the connection line (4) and a galvanic isolation existing between the first and second components (1, 2) is maintained and a light-guiding connection being provided between the second component (2) and the sensor element, the light-guiding connection supplying the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3) with energy from the second component (2) and/or transmitting sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3) to the evaluation device (23), wherein the sensor element (3) comprises a material which has different energy levels for its electrons, at least one of the energy levels being variable in a presence of a magnetic field, wherein a light beam which has a first wavelength-dependent intensity profile is generated with a light source (21) of the second component and the light beam is transmitted via the connection line (4) to the sensor element (3) and the material of the sensor element (3) is excited only by the light beam to emit fluorescent radiation with a second wavelength-dependent intensity profile, the fluorescent radiation with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being transmitted via the connection line (4) to the second component (2), the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being dependent on the magnetic field while the first wavelength-dependent intensity profile remains constant,

• wherein the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile of the fluorescent radiation is resolved by a light sensor (22) and a diamond crystal having a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers is used as a material of the sensor element.

A system for measuring a current intensity of a current flowing through an electrical conductor (10), the system consisting of:

• a first component (1), which has the electrical conductor (10);
• a second component (2), which is separate from the first component and includes an evaluation device (23), the second component (2) comprising a light source (21) and a light sensor (22);
• a magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3), the sensor element (3) includes a material which has different energy levels for its electrons, at least one of the energy levels being variable in a presence of a magnetic field, the material includes a diamond crystal having a plurality of nitrogen-vacancy centers;
• and
• a connection line (4), the connection line (4) is a light guide, and
• wherein, in an operating state, the sensor element (3) is fixed in a positionally fixed manner to the first component (1) in a determined operating position, the operating position being determined relative to the electrical conductor (10), and the sensor element (3) is connected to the second component (2) by the connection line (4),
• wherein, in the operating state, the first and second components (1, 2) are galvanically isolated from one another and are releasably connected to one another by the connection line (4) by way of a light-guiding connection, wherein a power supply to the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3) by the second component (2) and/or a transmission of sensor data from the magnetic field-sensitive sensor element (3) to the evaluation device (23) is ensured by the light-guiding connection,
• wherein the material is configured to be excited, in the operating state, to emit fluorescent radiation with a second wavelength-dependent intensity profile based solely on a light beam which is generated starting from the light source (21) of the second component (2) and is transmitted to the sensor element (3) via the connection line (4) and which has a first wavelength-dependent intensity profile, the fluorescent radiation with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile in the operating state being transmittable to the second component (2) via the connection line (4), the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile being dependent on the magnetic field while the first wavelength-dependent intensity profile remains constant,
• wherein the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile of the fluorescent radiation being resolved by the light sensor (22), and
• whereby the second component (2) is designed to receive the light with the second wavelength-dependent intensity profile as sensor data from the sensor element (3) and is designed to process it for outputting a value for the current intensity flow through the electrical conductor (10).