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:
Feb. 05, 2013
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2010
Mikhail Sumetsky, Bridgewater, NJ (US);
Mikhail Sumetsky, Bridgewater, NJ (US);
OFS Fitel, LLC, Norcross, GA (US);
Abstract
An evanescent optical sensor is formed as a coil of either optical fiber or microfiber. By coiling the fiber/microfiber, the overall size of the sensor is significantly reduced when compared to 'straight path' fiber sensors, yet exhibits a similar degree of sensitivity. An optical signal is coupled into a fiber coil that has been immersed in an ambient to be analyzed. The use of a coil configuration results in creating a plurality of whispering gallery modes (WGMs) that will propagate along the coil by reflecting from the surface of the curved fiber/microfiber forming the coil. The interference between these modes will be modified as a function of the properties of the ambient environment. Environmental changes cause variations in the optical length of the coil as 'seen' by the various modes, and the interference of the modes is analyzed by studying the transmission spectrum at the output of the coil.