Uniformly responsive ultraviolet sensors
AssigneeStar Tech Instruments, Inc.
InventorsMike Ganopoulos, William C. Fricke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The fluorescent response of a UV radiometer to a UV beam is normalized over an entrance aperture area by using a plurality, preferably two, converting plates. The fluorescent response of at least two and preferably a plurality of crystal converting plates is ascertained. Crystal converting plates having complementary responses are selected and placed adjacently in the entrance aperture area such that an incident UV beam will cause a net complementary fluorescent response from the combined first and second crystal converting plates that is less varying over the entrance aperture area than the respective fluorescent responses of the individual first and second crystal converting plates.
Claims19
A UV radiometer for measuring the power of an incident UV beam, comprising:
- A) a housing defining an entrance aperture for receiving a UV beam in a beam incident area;
- crystal converting plates mounted in the housing at the entrance aperture, such that the crystal converting plates are exposed in the beam incident area for converting UV radiation of an incident UV beam to fluorescence, the crystal converting plates comprising at least two crystal converting plates each having a varying fluorescent response over the UV beam incident area, the at least two crystal converting plates selected and oriented to provide a complementary net fluorescent response normalized over the beam incident area;
- and
- B) fluorescence sensing means for producing a signal from fluorescence in the crystal converting plates, said signal indicating the strength of the UV beam incident on the beam incident area.
A method of normalizing fluorescent response to a UV beam over an entrance aperture area of a UV radiometer, the method comprising:
- A) ascertaining the fluorescent response to a standardized UV beam of a first crystal converting plate over at least a portion of the first crystal converting plate to be exposed in the entrance aperture area of a UV radiometer;
- B) ascertaining fluorescent response to a standardized UV beam of a second crystal converting plate over at least a portion of the second crystal converting plate to be exposed in the entrance aperture area;
- C) placing the first and second crystal converting plates adjacently in the entrance aperture area such that an incident UV beam will cause a net fluorescent response from the first and second crystal converting plates;
- and
- D) orienting said first and second crystal converting plates to provide a net complementary fluorescent response to an incident UV beam that is less varying over the entrance aperture area than the respective fluorescent responses of the individual first and second crystal converting plates.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.