Sensor for detecting a physical magnitude comprising a mechanical resonator
AssigneeSextant Avionique
InventorBertrand Morbieu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A sensor is disclosed for detecting a physical magnitude, comprising a mechanical resonator, adapted to be subjected to a mechanical stress representative of the magnitude to be measured, and means for causing the resonator to oscillate and maintaining its oscillations at a resonance frequency representative of the magnitude to be measured, wherein the resonator is made from a solid laser material and said oscillation means comprise means for feeding the laser resonator with a continuous pumping light beam.
Claims12
A sensor arrangement for detecting a mechanical force indicative of a physical parameter having a magnitude to be measured, comprising:
- (a) a vibratory laser resonator constituted of a solid laser material and having opposite faces bounding a laser cavity therebetween;
- (b) oscillation means for vibrating the laser resonator, including means for continuously pumping an input light beam to the laser resonator to effect lasing in the laser cavity, and for maintaining the laser resonator vibrating at a resonance frequency;
- and
- (c) means for applying the mechanical force indicative of the parameter magnitude to the laser resonator to change the resonance frequency thereof, said change in resonance frequency being indicative of the force.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.