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Title: Electro-optic high voltage sensor

Abstract

A small sized electro-optic voltage sensor capable of accurate measurement of high levels of voltages without contact with a conductor or voltage source is provided. When placed in the presence of an electric field, the sensor receives an input beam of electromagnetic radiation into the sensor. A polarization beam displacer serves as a filter to separate the input beam into two beams with orthogonal linear polarizations. The beam displacer is oriented in such a way as to rotate the linearly polarized beams such that they enter a Pockels crystal having at a preferred angle of 45 degrees. The beam displacer is therefore capable of causing a linearly polarized beam to impinge a crystal at a desired angle independent of temperature. The Pockels electro-optic effect induces a differential phase shift on the major and minor axes of the input beam as it travels through the Pockels crystal, which causes the input beam to be elliptically polarized. A reflecting prism redirects the beam back through the crystal and the beam displacer. On the return path, the polarization beam displacer separates the elliptically polarized beam into two output beams of orthogonal linear polarization representing the major and minor axes. The system may includemore » a detector for converting the output beams into electrical signals, and a signal processor for determining the voltage based on an analysis of the output beams. The output beams are amplitude modulated by the frequency of the electric field and the amplitude of the output beams is proportional to the magnitude of the electric field, which is related to the voltage being measured.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Idaho Falls, ID
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874437
Patent Number(s):
6388434
Assignee:
Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01R - MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC07-94ID13223
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
electro-optic; voltage; sensor; sized; capable; accurate; measurement; levels; voltages; contact; conductor; source; provided; placed; presence; electric; field; receives; input; beam; electromagnetic; radiation; polarization; displacer; serves; filter; separate; beams; orthogonal; linear; polarizations; oriented; rotate; linearly; polarized; enter; pockels; crystal; angle; 45; degrees; causing; impinge; independent; temperature; effect; induces; differential; phase; shift; major; minor; axes; travels; causes; elliptically; reflecting; prism; redirects; return; path; separates; output; representing; detector; converting; electrical; signals; signal; processor; determining; based; analysis; amplitude; modulated; frequency; proportional; magnitude; related; measured; electric field; electromagnetic radiation; electrical signal; phase shift; voltage sensor; polarized beam; accurate measurement; electro-optic voltage; /324/250/

Citation Formats

Davidson, James R, and Seifert, Gary D. Electro-optic high voltage sensor. United States: N. p., 2002. Web.
Davidson, James R, & Seifert, Gary D. Electro-optic high voltage sensor. United States.
Davidson, James R, and Seifert, Gary D. Tue . "Electro-optic high voltage sensor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874437.
@article{osti_874437,
title = {Electro-optic high voltage sensor},
author = {Davidson, James R and Seifert, Gary D},
abstractNote = {A small sized electro-optic voltage sensor capable of accurate measurement of high levels of voltages without contact with a conductor or voltage source is provided. When placed in the presence of an electric field, the sensor receives an input beam of electromagnetic radiation into the sensor. A polarization beam displacer serves as a filter to separate the input beam into two beams with orthogonal linear polarizations. The beam displacer is oriented in such a way as to rotate the linearly polarized beams such that they enter a Pockels crystal having at a preferred angle of 45 degrees. The beam displacer is therefore capable of causing a linearly polarized beam to impinge a crystal at a desired angle independent of temperature. The Pockels electro-optic effect induces a differential phase shift on the major and minor axes of the input beam as it travels through the Pockels crystal, which causes the input beam to be elliptically polarized. A reflecting prism redirects the beam back through the crystal and the beam displacer. On the return path, the polarization beam displacer separates the elliptically polarized beam into two output beams of orthogonal linear polarization representing the major and minor axes. The system may include a detector for converting the output beams into electrical signals, and a signal processor for determining the voltage based on an analysis of the output beams. The output beams are amplitude modulated by the frequency of the electric field and the amplitude of the output beams is proportional to the magnitude of the electric field, which is related to the voltage being measured.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}

Works referenced in this record:

Modifications of optical fiber voltage sensor
conference, January 1990


Development of optical instrument transformers
journal, April 1990