FIBER OPTIC PROBE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING OPTICALLY ACTIVE MATERIALS

摘要

2112106 9305376 PCTABS00020 The presence and concentration of an optical active constituent of a fluid medium (5) is determined in situ by immersing in the fluid medium (5) a probe (1) constructed to pass plane polarized light (34) through the fluid medium (5) in the first and second passes so as to induce an optical rotation (70) to the plane of polarization. The light is analyzed (44, 46) after the second pass in a manner to provide a plurality of light components whose individual intensities are affected by the induced optical rotation (70). A light intensity ratio is determined for the individual light components and compared to light intensity ratios (IA, IB) obtained from like fluid media having known concentrations of the optically active constituent therein to permit determination of the concentration of the optical active constituent (5).