Rare earth optical temperature sensor
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Admistrator of NASA
InventorsDonald L. Chubb, Phillip Jenkins
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Abstract
A rare earth optical temperature sensor is disclosed for measuring high temperatures. Optical temperature sensors exist that channel emissions from a sensor to a detector using a light pipe. The invention uses a rare earth emitter to transform the sensed thermal energy into a narrow band width optical signal that travels to a detector using a light pipe. An optical bandpass filter at the detector removes any noise signal outside of the band width of the signal from the emitter.
Claims8
An optical temperature sensor, said sensor comprising:
- an emitter having a selective energy emission band, said emitter converting thermal energy to energy within said emission band in response to a temperature of said emitter, and wherein said emitter contains a rare earth element;
- a light pipe having a first end and a second end, said first end communicating with said emitter;
- an optical bandpass filter communicating with said second end, said filter having a pass band within said emission band;
- and
- a detector communicating with said filter, said detector detecting said emitted energy as a measure of said temperature.
An optical temperature sensor, said sensor comprising:
- an emitter having a selective energy emission band, said emitter converting thermal energy to energy within said emission band in response to a temperature of said emitter, and wherein said emitter is composed of a rare earth aluminum garnet;
- a light pipe having a first end and a second end, said first end communicating with said emitter;
- an optical bandpass filter communicating with said second end, said filter having a pass band within said emission band;
- and
- a detector communicating with said filter, said detector detecting said emitted energy as a measure of said temperature.
An optical temperature sensor, said sensor comprising:
- an emitter having a selective energy emission band, said emitter converting thermal energy to energy within said emission band in response to a temperature of said emitter, and wherein said emitter is composed of a rare earth oxide;
- a light pipe having a first end and a second end, said first end communicating with said emitter;
- an optical bandpass filter communicating with said second end, said filter having a pass band within said emission band;
- and
- a detector communicating with said filter, said detector detecting said emitted energy as a measure of said temperature.
An optical temperature sensor, said sensor comprising:
- an emitter having a selective energy emission band, said emitter converting thermal energy to energy within said emission band in response to a temperature of said emitter, and wherein said emitter is a high temperature host material which is doped with a rare earth element;
- a light pipe having a first end and a second end, said first end communicating with said emitter;
- an optical bandpass filter communicating with said second end, said filter having a pass band within said emission band;
- and
- a detector communicating with said filter, said detector detecting said emitted energy as a measure of said temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.