Photoluminescent temperature sensor utilizing singular element for excitation and photodetection

摘要

A photoluminescent temperature sensing device and method utilizing a semi-conductor optical device adapted to operate as both a light-emitting device and a light detection device. The optical device emits a pulse of incident light, producing photoluminescent light that is received at the optical device. Signal information associated with a temperature-dependent characteristic of the photoluminescent light is created and temperature information if obtained from the signal information.

主权项

1. A system for determining a temperature in an environment, comprising:
a semi-conductor optical device element to operate as both a light-emitting device and a light detection device; a photoluminescent material to be disposed within the environment, wherein the photoluminescent material has an excitation band that overlaps a portion of the material's emission band which in turn both overlap a portion of the emission band of the semi-conductor optical device element; an optic fiber disposed between the semi-conductor optical device and the photoluminescent material to transmit incident light from the semi-conductor optical device element configured as a photo-emitter to the photoluminescent material, and to transmit photoluminescent light from the photoluminescent material to the same semi-conductor optical device element configured as photo-detector; a circuit to drive the optical device element including a switch; and a processor operatively connected to the driving circuit and configured to drive the optical device element to emit the incident light, thereby producing the photoluminescent light from the photoluminescent material, and to derive temperature information from the photoluminescent light received at the optical device element.