Project Title:

Very High Temperature Fiber Sensors

02.11-0161
Very High Temperature Fiber Sensors
LaserGenics Corporation
Box 611330
San Jose
CA
95161-1330
Richard G.
Schlecht
(408-433-0161)
LaRC

Abstract:

Advanced wind tunnel instrumentation will require highly sensitive devices for measuring
temperatures in the range of 1800 C to 3000 C. In order to make accurate temperature
measurements in this extreme environment, new concepts in sensor design will have
to be employed, because available thermometry devices will not perform reliably in
this environment. Fiber optic sensors offer a possible solution but available fibers
of glass or silica cannot withstand this temperature range. This project addresses
the use of single-crystal, fiber optics which can be used at these extremely high
temperatures. A variety of high temperature refractory, single-crystal fibers will
be grown with different dopants in the tip of the fiber that will serve as a blackbody
radiation source. The emission from this source will then be detected and analyzed
to determine the tip temperature.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications:  A number of uses may occur in process control
in the steel, chemical, semiconductor industries, in fossil fuel and nuclear power
generation plants, and in research in plasma physics, fusion, MHD, combustion, and
chemistry.