Patent ID: 6796710
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: G01K,H01S

Abstract:
A method of sensing temperature at an optical fiber tip comprising the following steps:(a) positioning a slug of fluorescent material adjacent said optical fiber tip; (b) providing an optical stimulus having a wavelength within a first predetermined range through at least one fiber optically linked to said optical fiber tip, wherein a desired optical fluorescent response having a wavelength within a second predetermined range from said fluorescent slug is generated; (c) detecting a signal representative of said optical stimulus; (d) detecting a signal representative of said optical fluorescent response; (c) digitally processing said optical stimulus signal and said optical fluorescent response signal to determine a phase difference therebetween; and (f) calculating a temperature for said optical fiber tip as a function of said phase difference; wherein said phase difference between said optical stimulus signal and said optical fluorescent response is determined by the steps of: providing a reference signal; determining a first phase difference between said reference signal and said optical stimulus; determining a second phase difference between said reference signal and said optical fluorescent response signal, and determining the difference between said first phase difference and said second phase difference, said difference corresponding to the phase difference between said optical stimulus signal and said optical fluorescent response.