Next Generation High Sensitivity, Broad Band Electrical Field Sensor

Leveraging Agiltron industrial leading development and production of high speed fiber optical modulators and switches, we propose to realize a new class of high performance electro-optic field sensor. The approach is closely coupled with recent progress in electro-optic material and device researches to push the sensor performance well beyond current state-of-the-art. The new design has multiple innovations that overcome the deficiencies associated with conventional approaches in limited sensitivity and bandwidth without making trade-offs. Its non-cosine response and built-in phase matching will substantially increase sensitivity and bandwidth performance. The proposed passive non-intrusive fiberoptic field sensor is also self bias without the need for active DC bias. The dual channel sensor can also effectively compensate environmental fluctuations induced drift by signal process. The design further incorporates materials with large electro-optic effect as well as efficient antenna configuration to maximize sensor performance. Prototype sensors will be produced in Phase I to demonstrate the feasibility. BENEFITS: The sensor has direct application for HPM testing applications. The sensor will also find applications in EMI and EMC safety measurements to protect human, computer, aircraft avionics, as well as many medical devices.