Patent ID: 6947138

Claim:
A gas sensor for detection of hydride and/or acid gas species, said gas sensor comprising: (a) an elongated sensor body with a light-transmissive window affixed to a distal end portion thereof, said light-transmissive window defining a first side exterior to said elongated sensor body and a second side interior to said elongated sensor body; (b) a sensing element mounted on the sensor body at the first, exterior side of the light-transmissive window and arranged for contact with gas susceptible to presence of said hydride and/or acid gas species therein, said sensing element changing color in contact with gas containing said hydride and/or acid gas species; (c) a source light optical fiber mounted in the sensor body at the second, interior side of the light-transmissive window, to conduct source light to the sensing element through said light-transmissive window; (d) a detector optical fiber mounted in the sensor body at the second, interior side of the light-transmissive window, to receive reflected source light from the sensing element through said light-transmissive window; (e) a light source coupled to the source light optical fiber for supplying source light thereto; and (f) a detector coupled to the detector optical fiber and arranged to receive reflected source light from the detector optical fiber and to responsively produce an output indicative of presence or absence of hydride and/or acid gas species in gas contacted with said sensing element.