For some years, optical E-field sensors (plus remote units) are commercially available; main advantage: the field is much less disturbed than by electrically conductive sensors.
We would like to measure UWB near-fields with field strengths from 50 mV/m to 500 V/m, frequency range from 100 kHz to at least 3 GHz, in the time-domain (the electric output signal of the remote unit should represent the temporal course of the field strength). Since we are interested in the geometry of the field we would prefer monaxial sensors.
If you have any experience with such systems, could you please recommend certain manufacturers or models (or advice against certain types)? Many thanks in advance!
I suppose for Your task can be used pyroelectric effect in optically transparent LiNbO3. Useful signal in the form of electrical current is generated due to small absorption of field emission and registered by voltmeter. Device is calibrated as light power meter with next evaluation to E v/m. Due to transparency of similar sensor the disturbance of light field is getting small in spite of the previous principle of measurement conserves.
Hello Eugene, thank you very much for your answer! Since I intend to use such a sensor as a tool (not as subject of my research) could you recommend certain commercially available devices?
Hello U. :-), thank you very much for pointing me to your colleague's article! This type of sensor will be the best alternative if my original intention fails. By supplying the sensor and reading back the signal via an optical fiber, most of the disturbance of the field is avoided compared to the use of a coax line. But I hope to employ the next generation (probably not commercially avialable in 2011): The sensor itself is just a special kind of crystal, so there are not even wires forming a dipole (please see the link below). I know of five manufacturers but would like to do a little survey on user experiences before making a decision. Best regards, Joerg
http://www.speag.com/products/tds/time-domain-probes/e-field-probes/?gclid=CI6DgfOzn8wCFTMo0wod86UCQg
Hi Joerg,
the wire extensions were attempts to 'tweak' the sensor - originally coming without such. A bit of 'toying' of a PhD candidate... With - IIRC - unimpressive results.
The TDS probes look great. But they are rather big. What the colleague got at that time looks significantly smaller. Depends on the application whether size matters.
Regards
Uli
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