Optical system using a luminescent material sensor for measuring very high temperatures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, these and other objects are accomplished by the various aspects of the present invention wherein, briefly, the temperature of a thermal radiating source is measured in a very high temperature range, such as in excess of 450 degrees centigrade, by transmitting its temperature dependent infrared radiation to a position where the temperature is lower, within a temperature range that can be monitored by existing optical temperature sensors and conventional optical fibers.
An absorber of the infrared radiation is positioned at this location, and a conventional optical temperature sensor is positioned in thermal contact therewith in a manner to measure the temperature of the absorber in a known way by communication of visible or near-visible light through conventional fiberoptics to a remotely located instrument.
The temperature sensing material may in some instances be combined with the infrared absorber in a manner to heat the sensor directly.
The light transmitted from the instrument to the optical temperature sensor and the temperature encoded light signal from the sensor to the instrument can be communicated in an efficient manner over conventional optical fibers utilizing wavelengths which fall within a portion of the spectrum to which the optical fibers are highly transmissive.
The wavelength should thus be chosen to be in the visible or near visible range.
This then allows the optical fibers to operate over very long distances.
Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of its preferred embodiments, which descriptions should be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.