Methods and systems are disclosed for sensing an environment electric field. In one exemplary implementation, a method includes disposing a sensor in the environment, wherein the sensor comprising a crystalline lattice and at least one optically-active defect in the crystalline lattice; pre-exciting the crystalline lattice to prepare at least one defect in a first charge state using a first optical beam at a first optical wavelength; converting at least one defect from the first charge state to a second charge state using a second optical beam at a second optical wavelength; monitoring a characteristics of photoluminescence emitted from the defect during or after the conversion of the at least one defect from the first charge state to the second charge state; and determining a characteristics of the electric field in the environment according to the monitored characteristics of the photoluminescence.

A wireless tracking device includes circuit components, a battery, and a circuit connecting the circuit components and the battery. The circuit components include a first wireless communication system, a processor, a memory or storage, and a first sensor operable to measure conditions of the wireless tracking device. The wireless tracking device is configured to attach to an overhead electrical line and detect failure events that are experienced by the overhead electrical line based on sensor data monitored by the wireless tracking device.

A measuring device measures an electrical current and contains a light source for generating a polarized primary light signal for feeding into a Faraday sensor unit, and a detector for detecting a secondary light signal provided by the Faraday sensor unit and polarization-altered in relation to the primary light signal. An optical-electrical compensation element, by which the polarization alteration of the secondary light signal can be compensated via an opposite polarization alteration, and a measurement signal, according to the opposite polarization alteration, for the electrical current can be deduced. A method for measuring an electrical current by use of the measuring device is further disclosed.

It is proposed to use a spun birefringent fiber for a current sensor or magnetic field sensor. The fiber has a birefringence that increases with temperature. In this case, the temperature dependence of the fiber's sensitivity to magnetic fields counteracts the temperature dependence of the fiber's Verdet constant, which allows to design current and field sensors that have reduced temperature dependence.

The voltage measuring device includes: a light source; a polarizer polarizing light emitted from the light source; a grounded conductor provided apart from a high-voltage conductor; a crystal end face electrode being out of contact with the grounded conductor and the high-voltage conductor; a Pockels cell transmitting light from the polarizer; an analyzer transmitting light reflected by the Pockels cell; a photodetector detecting light emitted from the analyzer; an intra-crystal electric field measurement unit converting voltage output by the photodetector into intra-crystal electric field; a bias electrode being out of contact with the crystal end face electrode; a bias supply; a bias supply control unit controlling the bias supply to keep internal electric field of the Pockels cell at zero; and a measurement voltage calculation unit obtaining voltage of the high-voltage conductor based on results output by the intra-crystal electric field measurement unit and the bias supply control unit.

A method for distinguishing an arc from a luminous gas at least containing metal vapor includes sensing light in a monitoring region and determining a first intensity I.sub.λ1 of the sensed light at a first wavelength λ1 and a second intensity I.sub.λ2 of the sensed light at a second, greater wavelength λ2. The ratio I.sub.λ1/I.sub.λ2 between the first intensity I.sub.λ1 and the second intensity I.sub.λ2 is determined. The sensed light is associated with an arc if said ratio I.sub.λ1/I.sub.λ2 is greater than a specifiable first threshold value and/or with a luminous gas at least containing metal vapor if said ratio I.sub.λ1/I.sub.λ2 is less than a specifiable second threshold value.

An electric field sensing system, in some embodiments, comprises a magnetic shield, an optical magnetometer shielded from external magnetic fields by the magnetic shield, a conductive coil proximate to the optical magnetometer, and first and second electrodes coupled to opposite ends of the coil. The electrodes are disposed outside of the magnetic shield. The conductive coil generates a magnetic field within the optical magnetometer when electrical current passes through the conductive coil.

Optical techniques and sensor devices for sensing or measuring electric currents and/or temperature based on photonic sensing techniques in optical reflection modes by using optical dielectric materials exhibiting Faraday effects are provided in various configurations. The disclosed optical sensing technology uses light to carry and transmit the current or temperature information obtained at the sensing location to a remote base station and this optical transmission allows remote sensing in various applications and provide a built-in temperature calibration mechanism to enhance the measurement accuracy in a range of different temperature conditions.

A glass ring for current measurements includes a glass body, which can be disposed around an electrical conductor and has a light entry surface and a light exit surface. The glass ring allows light which enters the glass body through the light entry surface to circulate completely around the conductor in the glass body by reflection on external sides or outer faces of the glass body, the light exiting from the glass body on the light exit surface. The glass ring is formed of a monolithic glass body. A method for optical current measurement includes using a current flow in an electrical conductor to generate an electromagnetic field around the conductor, by which a polarization of a light beam in the glass ring around the conductor, in particular with a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the conductor, is changed as the light beam circulates around the conductor.

This patent document discloses techniques and devices for sensing or measuring electric currents and/or temperature based on photonic sensing techniques. The optical sensors for sensing the current or temperature can be configured as a polarization-insensitive optical sensor in either an optical transmissive configuration or an optical reflective configuration.