Electro-optic voltage sensor head

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872457

Crawford, Thomas M ^[1]; Davidson, James R ^[1]; Woods, Gregory K ^[2]

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1. Idaho Falls, ID
2. Cornelius, OR

The invention is an electro-optic voltage sensor head designed for integration with existing types of high voltage transmission and distribution apparatus. The sensor head contains a transducer, which comprises a transducing material in which the Pockels electro-optic effect is observed. In the practice of the invention at least one beam of electromagnetic radiation is routed into the transducing material of the transducer in the sensor head. The beam undergoes an electro-optic effect in the sensor head when the transducing material is subjected to an E-field. The electro-optic effect is observed as a differential phase a shift, also called differential phase modulation, of the beam components in orthogonal planes of the electromagnetic radiation. In the preferred embodiment the beam is routed through the transducer along an initial axis and then reflected by a retro-reflector back substantially parallel to the initial axis, making a double pass through the transducer for increased measurement sensitivity. The preferred embodiment of the sensor head also includes a polarization state rotator and at least one beam splitter for orienting the beam along major and minor axes and for splitting the beam components into two signals which are independent converse amplitude-modulated signals carrying E-field magnitude and hence voltage information from the sensor head by way of optic fibers.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-94ID13223
• Assignee: Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Patent Number(s): US 5939711
• OSTI ID: 872457
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

electro-optic
voltage
sensor
head
designed
integration
existing
types
transmission
distribution
apparatus
contains
transducer
comprises
transducing
material
pockels
effect
observed
practice
beam
electromagnetic
radiation
routed
undergoes
subjected
e-field
differential
phase
shift
called
modulation
components
orthogonal
planes
preferred
embodiment
initial
axis
reflected
retro-reflector
substantially
parallel
double
pass
increased
measurement
sensitivity
polarization
rotator
splitter
orienting
major
minor
axes
splitting
signals
independent
converse
amplitude-modulated
carrying
magnitude
hence
information
optic
fibers
electro-optic voltage
voltage sensor
modulated signal
optic fiber
beam splitter
electromagnetic radiation
preferred embodiment
substantially parallel
electro-optic effect
optic fibers
phase modulation
sensor head
voltage transmission
orthogonal planes
differential phase
beam components
beam undergoes
pockels electro-optic
field magnitude
optic voltage
distribution apparatus
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