Photovoltaic power converters transform optical power into electrical power, which is inherently immune to RF, EMI, high voltage, and lightning effects. Capable of powering electronic circuitry directly over optical fiber in a wide variety of applications, this technology has been validated in industries such as electric power, communications, remote sensing and aerospace. From no more than a laboratory curiosity less than fifteen years ago, power-over-fiber, or photonic power, has established itself in thousands of industrial operations worldwide. Optical energy for pre-amplifiers or low-power transmitters as well as switches and relays can be efficiently delivered through noise immune and non-conductive optical fiber. These advantages are also readily available for safe and arm applications since optical fiber is immune to electrical noise, magnetic fields and conduction of unexpected electrical currents. Since it is made from glass, a dielectric fiber is impervious to electromagnetic interference. High optical power is readily delivered through fiber, and conversion of optical to electrical energy at the remote site with efficient photovoltaic converters is routine.
We establish an empirical model to project the highest power output from a photovoltaic power converter (PPC). This model helped us achieve over one watt electrical output power from a single fiber channel. A total of 1.2W electrical power output from two parallel connected 8-segment devices was obtained from a well heat-sunk package with 4W laser illumination from a single fiber. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that, over one watt electrical power has been delivered by a single fiber channel. Over 30% power conversion efficiency was maintained in this high power conversion process, whereas the power conversion efficiency was over 40% at low laser input power. This high electrical power output enables more applications in sensing, safing, or arming that could not be achieved before due to less available power. It also further strengthens the position of this unique solution of providing isolated power in harsh, noisy and high-voltage environments.
In this work, we report a highly efficient Photovoltaic Power Converter (PPC) suitable for 920 nm to 970 nm InGaAs MQW lasers for the first time. The epitaxial layers were grown by low pressure MOCVD on the semi-insulting GaAs substrate. The epi layers consist of a p-n junction of In0.12Ga0.88As and the window layer of p+ AlInGaAs. The device is made of seven or eight pie-segments of equal area series-connected by means of air-bridges. Under 500mW of 940nm laser illumination, the open-circuit voltage of the eight-segment InGaAs chip is 6.7V. The short-circuit current is 29.7mA. Its maximum delivered electrical power is 171.2mW, equal to a 34.2% overall power conversion efficiency. We also demonstrate the high temperature characteristic and stability of the device.
HomeFiber Networks has successfully demonstrated the use of Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing in a residential Fiber-To-The-Home installation in Northern California. The primary driver for using Wavelength Division Multiplexing is to allow multiple Ethernet switches to be served over a single pair of fibers. Today, the available dark fiber in and around small metropolitan areas comes at a premium, as it's primarily serving business customers. For Fiber-To-The-Home to even begin to become economically feasible, it's paramount to aggregate as much traffic as possible over as few fibers as possible. In this respect, the local network is somewhat similar to metropolitan area as well as long-distance networks. However, for a local network the cost must be brought to an absolute minimum. Coarse wavelength division offers such a solution, which also is scalable.
KEYWORDS: Transducers, Sensors, Semiconductor lasers, Fiber optics sensors, Light sources, Digital signal processing, Analog electronics, Diagnostics, Data communications, Photovoltaics
Optical power provides a novel and often superior way of delivering power to electronic sensors and transducers. Total immunity to lightning and other electromagnetic interference comes from the use of fiber optics to provide power and data communication. The key element in any optically powered sensor or transducer is a photovoltaic power converter developed by Photonic. This device converts light into electrical energy for powering of the sensor and associated circuitry. Pertinent design issues include, choice of light source, minimization of power consumption, single vs. dual fiber, data protocol and level of integration. In addition to a discussion of these issues, a brief outlook on the future of optically powered systems is presented.
Conference Committee Involvement (3)
Optical Technologies for Arming, Safing, Fuzing, and Firing III
29 August 2007 | San Diego, California, United States
Optical Technologies for Arming, Safing, Fuzing, and Firing II
14 August 2006 | San Diego, California, United States
Optical Technologies for Arming, Safing, Fuzing, and Firing
4 August 2005 | San Diego, California, United States
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