Electro-optic high voltage sensor

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002

OSTI ID:874437

Davidson, James R ^[1]; Seifert, Gary D ^[1]

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1. Idaho Falls, ID

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.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-94ID13223
• Assignee: Bechtel BWXT Idaho, LLC (Idaho Falls, ID)
• Patent Number(s): US 6388434
• OSTI ID: 874437
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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