Interchangeable Ballistic Dynamic Pressure-Temperature Sensor

SA Photonics' High Pressure and Temperature (HIPAT) sensor uses optical interferometry to translate a miniature sensing diaphragm's response to temperature and pressure into optical pulses streaming at up to 10 billion times per second. Low-cost yet very high speed fiber-optic telecommunications technology captures the pulse stream and allows HIPAT to characterize large transient pressure (millions of psi) and also maintain fine pressure resolution on the order of 100 psi and lower. This very wide dynamic range supports detailed measurement of violent events such as explosions, kinetic-kill processes and gun-barrel pressure and temperature dynamics. HIPAT sensor technology interfaces through a non-electrical fiber-optic link and is therefore immune to electromagnetic pulse and electromagnetic interference. The fiber-optic link supports remote sensing more than 1 km away from the events under test. The sensor itself, as well as the optical fiber, can tolerate 10's of G acceleration and shock.