Multiaxis electric field sensing using slab coupled optical sensors.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Electrical Engineering
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Accurate electric field measurement is crucial in various scientific and industrial applications.
• Existing electric field sensors may lack multi-axis capability or have larger form factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel multiaxis electric field sensor design.
• To demonstrate directional electric field sensing using optical-fiber technology.
• To validate the sensor's performance through calibration and testing.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three slab coupled optical-fiber sensors arranged for directional sensing.
• Integrated the sensors into a compact package with a small cross-sectional area (0.5 cm×0.5 cm) using an x-cut crystal.
• Employed a sensitivity-matrix approach to map sensor data to electric field components.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed a functional three-axis electric field sensor.
• Demonstrated directional sensing capabilities with the optical-fiber sensor array.
• Achieved an average measurement error of 1.5° after calibration and testing.

Conclusions:

• The developed multiaxis electric field sensor offers a compact and accurate solution for directional electric field measurements.
• The sensitivity-matrix approach effectively maps sensor data to field components.
• This technology holds potential for applications requiring precise electric field monitoring.