Fiber optic sensor with protective cladding and fabrication methods
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJAMES SCOTT VARTULI, KUNG-LI JUSTIN DENG, KEVIN PAUL MCEVOY, KEVIN HENRY JANORA, KENNETH SHERWOOD BOUSMAN
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Abstract
A sensor includes an optical fiber and coating material surrounding at least a portion of the optical fiber. At least one parameter of the coating material is optimal to minimize normal and shear stresses on the sensor. One material combination includes a sapphire optical fiber and a spinel coating material.
Claims20
A sensor comprising:
- an optical fiber comprising sapphire;
- and
- cladding material surrounding at least a portion of the optical fiber, the cladding material of the sensor comprising a spinel.
A sensor fabrication method comprising:
- coating a sapphire fiber of the sensor with a mixture of Al(OR)3+H2O and Mg(OR)2+H2O, wherein R comprises a hydrocarbon chain, until the coated mixture comprises a gel state;
- heating the sapphire fiber and the coated and gelled mixture until the coated and gelled mixture comprises a solid state of magnesium aluminum oxide (MgAl2O4).
A sensor fabrication method comprising:
- using chemical vapor deposition to apply magnesium aluminum oxide (MgAl2O4) around a sapphire fiber.
A sensor comprising
- an optical fiber;
- and
- coating material surrounding at least a portion of the optical fiber,
- wherein at least one parameter of the coating material is optimal to minimize normal and shear stresses on the sensor,
- wherein the at least one parameter is at least one of melting point, coefficient of thermal expansion, electric modulus, and lattice type.
The sensor of claim 111 wherein the lattice type comprises a cubic crystal lattice.
A power generation system comprising a sensor comprising an optical fiber comprising sapphire and cladding material surrounding at least a portion of the optical fiber, the cladding material of the sensor comprising a spinel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.