Luna Innovations Inc.

Fs, Inc.

Other

Litton Systems, Inc.

Mark E Jones

Kent A Murphy

Jennifer L Elster

Joshua P Averett

Charles D Pennington

Daniel Richard Klemer

Ronald James Michal

Michael F Gunther

James R Steele

Richey M Davis

Thomas A Wavering

Joseph A Schetz

Scott A Meller

Wade J Pulliam

Ricky L Crotts

Roger L Van Tassell

Matthew S Hull

Timothy A Bailey

A device and method for measuring optical properties of a sample are provided. The device comprises a housing surrounding a flow-through flow-cell having a sample inlet positioned proximate to a first end of the flow-cell and a sample outlet positioned proximate to a second end of the flow-cell and a sample chamber positioned between the sample inlet and the sample outlet. A plurality of excitation sources are positioned on the housing and are incident on a sample in the flow-cell. At least one excitation source has a wavelength that is different from the other excitation sources. At least one fluorescence emission detector, which detects a continuous broadband spectrum of emission wavelengths, is positioned in an operable relationship to the flow-cell. At least one signal interrogation system, which interprets a continuous fluorescence emission spectrum, is positioned in an operable relationship with each detector.

Optical device for measuring optical properties of a sample and method relating thereto

The present invention is for a fiber optic flow cell. The flow cell comprises a substrate having at least one sample channel and at least one optical fiber channel holder. At least one optical fiber is disposed within each optical fiber channel holder. Each optical fiber has at least one grating wherein each grating is in contact with each sample channel, defining a sensing area. At least one sample port is positioned in an operable relationship to at least one sample channel. Alternatively, at least one sample outlet is positioned in an operable relationship to at least one sample channel. The flow cell may be of a modular design providing a flow cell kit that contains pieces that may be assembled to form custom-made flow cells. The flow cell is used for conducting measurement studies on a sample.

Fiber-optic flow cell and method relating thereto

A fiber-optic method for making simultaneous multiple parameter measurements employs an optical fiber sensor having at least one long period grating disposed therein. An excitation is created in the optical fiber sensor wherein a plurality of evanescent field sensing depths result. At least two long period grating signatures are created. When the optical fiber sensor is exposed to at least one material, changes in the material are identified by simultaneously measuring and comparing shifts in each long period grating signature; correlating the shifts to changes in the material; and solving a series of equations that compare changes in the coupling wavelength for a specific loss band. A reactive coating may be applied to the optical fiber sensor proximate to the long period grating such that changes in the reactive coating as it reacts with the material may also be monitored.

Fiber-optic apparatus and method for making simultaneous multiple parameter measurements

A flexible microbend device for attachment to an optical fiber is provided. The device comprises an upper bending element grid having at least one flexible element and a lower bending element grid having at least one flexible element. The upper bending element grid alternately engages the lower bending element grid. The flexible microbend device is attached to an optical fiber to form a sensor. The sensor may be either embedded in a host material or attached to a structure to detect various stresses or strains.

Flexible fiber optic microbend device, with interlocking flexible fibers, sensors, and method use

A fiber optic wall shear stress sensor is presented. The sensor comprises a floating head supported by a physical arrangement. At least one optical fiber is positioned in an operable relationship to the floating head wherein an interferometric region is formed between the floating head and each optical fiber. The interferometric region changes in response to a shear force on the floating head.

Fiber optic wall shear stress sensor

An optical waveguide sensor having high refractive index sensitivity over a range of ambient refractive indices is provided. The sensor comprises a core having at least one long period gating disposed therein. An inner and outer cladding region, each cladding region having an effective refractive index. The total effective refractive index of the inner cladding region and the outer cladding region is approximately equal to but not greater than the effective refractive index of an environmental parameter to be sensed. These optical waveguide sensors are useful for measuring changes in a variety of environmental parameters.

Optical waveguide sensors having high refractive index sensitivity

An optical sensor arrangement is provided. The arrangement comprises a light source coupled to an optical waveguide. The optical waveguide has at least one long period grating that promotes an excitation of confined propagating light into higher order modes causing an excitation of a sensing mechanism. A detector is coupled to the optical waveguide to detect a resulting optical signal.

Optical sensor arrangement

An extrinsic optical waveguide sensor for making refractive index measurements of an in situ sample is provided. The sensor comprises a holder having at least one sample input region and at least one interferometric region. At least one optical fiber is positioned in the holder, each optical fiber having an endface serving as an input and an output. At least one reflector, each reflector is positioned in the holder in an operable relationship to each optical fiber endface, thus defining each interferometric region.

Extrinisic optical waveguide sensors

A single-ended long period grating optical device is presented. The single-ended optical device comprises an optical waveguide having at least one core mode and a plurality of cladding modes. At least one long period grating couples light from the core mode to the cladding modes. A reflector is positioned in an operable relationship to the long period grating, and the reflector reflects a signal. A mode stripper is positioned after the long period grating and removes the cladding modes from a transmitted signal and the reflected signal.

Single-ended long period grating optical device

An optical fiber holder is presented. The optical fiber holder comprises a tube having a longitudinal axis, a first end for receiving an optical fiber, and a recessed second end for protecting the optical fiber tip. An aperture is disposed along a length of the longitudinal axis of the tube for exposing the optical fiber to a sample. The optical fiber holder allows a sample to be tested while avoiding strain and bending influences.

Optical fiber holder

A process for preparing an optical fiber having at least one long period grating with enhanced sensitivity is provided. A length of optical fiber having a refractive index profile is provided. The optical fiber supports a core mode and cladding modes for a range of operational wavelengths. Group indices are identified for the core mode and the cladding modes for a specific wavelength wherein the group indices are equal to each other. A long period grating is written in the optical fiber. The long period grating has a grating defined by the group indices and it couples light from the core mode to a cladding mode proximate to where the group indices are equal. The optical fibers prepared by the present invention may be used for measuring an environmental perturbation where high sensitivity is required.

Process for preparing an optical fiber sensor with enhanced sensitivity

An optical sensor having at least one long period grating disposed within an optical waveguide is provided. The optical waveguide has a refractive index profile. The long period grating has a plurality of index perturbations spaced apart by a periodic distance .LAMBDA.. The long period grating promotes an excitation of confined propagating broadband light into higher order modes that excite a sensing mechanism. The excitation of confined propagating broadband light is spectrally dependent on the periodic distance of the long period grating and the refractive index profile of the optical waveguide.

Optical sensor activation device

An optical sensor is provided. The optical sensor comprises an optical waveguide, at least one long period grating disposed within the optical waveguide and a reactive coating positioned in an operable relationship to the long period grating wherein the reactive coating causes the long period grating to produce a wavelength transmission spectrum functionally dependent on a parameter sensed. Such sensors may be used to measure physical, electrical and chemical parameters within a single system.

Optical fiber long period sensor having a reactive coating

Apparatus and methods for detecting when the birefringent axes of two polarization preserving fibers have their ends oriented into a position to locate the respective axes at 45 degrees. A fusion splicer and a heating controller for the fiber sensing coil are added to a reciprocal interferometer to produce a predetermined pattern of percent light intensity versus time in the returned light, when the axes are properly aligned for fusing. A computer may control the automatic making of depolarizers by this invention.

Growing community of inventors

Sequim, WA, United States of America

Mark E Jones