Patent ID: 7145660
Filing Date: 2006-12-05
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An optical sensor system for providing an output signal in response to a sensed parameter comprising: an optical signal source for generating an input optical signal; a reference arm; a sensing element in optical communication with said optical signal source, said sensing element comprising at least two resonant cavity loops exhibiting a common resonant frequency near at least one frequency of said input optical signal, at least one of said resonant cavity loops being exposed to an external parameter, said external parameter modifying the resonant frequency of said at least one exposed resonant cavity loop thereby modifying an optical output signal; and a detector in optical communication with said sensing element, said detector detecting any modification in said output optical signal in response to the sensed parameter, one of said resonator cavity loops being an interferometer reference resonator cavity loop disposed on said reference arm, said at least one resonant cavity loop exposed to an external parameter defining the measurement arm of said interferometer.