Fresnel Drag Flow Probe

该项目的目标是研究、开发和探索一种新型光学流量传感器的应用，这种传感器可以实时测量超流量体积流量，灵敏度比市面上最好的质量流量计（使用声学技术）高三个数量级。预计这种新型流量传感器的性能在线性速度灵敏度方面可与最佳激光多普勒测速结果相媲美。然而，它直接测量体积流速，而不是点粒子速度。此外，它应该是一种更便宜的技术。这种仪器可以在材料加工、医疗仪器和化学测量和分析中找到广泛的应用，既可以满足当前的需求，也可以成为这些领域进一步研究的新测量工具。在这个程序中，我们将应用传感器直接观察与液相色谱系统相关的缓慢流动和扩散。该传感器的概念是基于相对论性菲涅耳阻力效应，该效应导致光在上游和下游定向光束之间的速度不同。速度差与流速成线性比例，可以使用最先进的光纤Sagnac干涉仪以极高的灵敏度进行测量。

The objective of this program is to research, develop, and explore applications of a new type of optical flow sensor that can measure ultra-flow volumetric flow rates in real time with three orders of magnitude more sensitivity than the best commercially available mass flow meters (which use acoustic techniques). The performance of this new flow sensor is predicted to rival the best laser doppler velocimetric results in its linear velocity sensitivity. However, it directly measures volumetric flow rates instead of point particle velocities. In addition it should be a much cheaper technology. Such an instrument can find a wide range of applications in materials processing, medical instrumentation, and chemical measurement and analysis, both in terms of serving present needs and in being a new measurement tool for further research within these areas. In this program, we will apply the sensor to directly observe slow flows and diffusions associated with liquid chromatography systems. The sensor concept is based on the relativistic Fresnel drag effect which causes the speed of lig ht to differ between upstream and downstream directed beams. The difference in speed is linearly proportional to the flow velocity and can be measured with extreme sensitivity using a state-of-the-art fiber optics Sagnac interferometer.