Catheter tip fluorescence-quenching fiber optic pressure sensor

A pressure sensor system comprising:

• means for providing excitation optical energy;
• means for coupling said excitation optical energy to a sample region;
• means for at least partially enclosing said sample region by a gas tight flexible membrane for coupling the pressure of a region to be measured to said sample region;
• means, located within said sample region, for generating fluorescent energy in response to said excitation energy;
• means, located within said sample region, for quenching the generation of at least a portion of said fluorescent energy;
• detection means for detecting said fluorescent energy and determining the pressure in said sample region in response thereto;
• and
• means for coupling said fluorescent energy to said detection means.

A method for determining pressure in a sample region comprising the steps of:

• coupling the pressure of a region to be measured to said sample region by at least partially enclosing said sample region by a gas tight flexible membrane;
• coupling excitation optical energy to said sample region;
• causing fluorescent energy to be generated in response to said excitation optical energy;
• causing said generation of said fluorescent energy to be at least partially quenched in response to pressure in said sample region;
• and
• detecting said fluorescent energy and making a determination of the pressure in said sample region in response thereto.