The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 01, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 23, 2004
Peter B. Tarsa, Duxbury, MA (US);
Peter B. Tarsa, Duxbury, MA (US);
Trustees of Princeton University, Princeton, NJ (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for use with a coherent optical source to detect environmental changes. The apparatus comprises: an optical cavity, including an input coupling port, and an optical fiber section; a detector optically coupled to the optical cavity to monitor radiation in the optical cavity; and a processor electrically coupled to the detector for analyzing the environmental changes adjacent the detection portion of the optical cavity based on a rate of decay of the radiation in the optical cavity monitored by the detector. The optical fiber section of the optical cavity includes a detection portion coated with a conductive layer capable of supporting a surface plasmon to provide cavity loss. The surface plasmon is responsive to the environmental changes adjacent the detection portion. The coherent optical source is optically coupled to the input coupling port of the optical cavity to provide the radiation in the optical cavity.