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Low-noise distributed acoustic sensing using enhanced backscattering fiber with ultra-low-loss point reflectors

Low-noise distributed acoustic sensing using enhanced backscattering fiber with ultra-low-loss point reflectors
Low-noise distributed acoustic sensing using enhanced backscattering fiber with ultra-low-loss point reflectors
We present a low-noise distributed acoustic sensor using enhanced backscattering fiber with a series of localized reflectors. The point reflectors were inscribed in a standard telecom fiber in a fully automated system by focusing an ultra-fast laser through the fiber cladding. The inscribed reflectors provided a reflectance of −53 dB, significantly higher than the Rayleigh backscattering level of −70 dB/m, despite adding only 0.01 dB of loss per 100 reflection points. We constructed a coherent φ-OTDR system using a double-pulse architecture to probe the enhanced backscattering fiber. Using this system, we found that the point reflectors enabled an average phase noise of −91 dB (re rad2/Hz), 20 dB lower than sensors formed using Rayleigh backscattering in the same fiber. The sensors are immune to interference fading, exhibit a high degree of linearity, and demonstrate excellent non-local signal suppression (>50 dB). This work illustrates the potential for low-cost enhanced backscattering fiber to enable low-noise, long-range distributed acoustic sensing.
1094-4087
14638-14647
Redding, Brandon
c91fca68-1448-4269-9012-836f2650f083
Murray, Matthew
5a885908-7298-4af8-ae89-c40b72716e3c
Donko, Andrei
3786c6f9-efb1-4d38-8366-9df4e9bd4033
Beresna, Martynas
a6dc062e-93c6-46a5-aeb3-8de332cdec7b
Masoudi, Ali
8073fb9b-2e6c-46c9-89cf-cb8670d76dc0
Brambilla, Gilberto
815d9712-62c7-47d1-8860-9451a363a6c8
Redding, Brandon
c91fca68-1448-4269-9012-836f2650f083
Murray, Matthew
5a885908-7298-4af8-ae89-c40b72716e3c
Donko, Andrei
3786c6f9-efb1-4d38-8366-9df4e9bd4033
Beresna, Martynas
a6dc062e-93c6-46a5-aeb3-8de332cdec7b
Masoudi, Ali
8073fb9b-2e6c-46c9-89cf-cb8670d76dc0
Brambilla, Gilberto
815d9712-62c7-47d1-8860-9451a363a6c8

Redding, Brandon, Murray, Matthew, Donko, Andrei, Beresna, Martynas, Masoudi, Ali and Brambilla, Gilberto (2020) Low-noise distributed acoustic sensing using enhanced backscattering fiber with ultra-low-loss point reflectors. Optics Express, 28 (10), 14638-14647. (doi:10.1364/OE.389212).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We present a low-noise distributed acoustic sensor using enhanced backscattering fiber with a series of localized reflectors. The point reflectors were inscribed in a standard telecom fiber in a fully automated system by focusing an ultra-fast laser through the fiber cladding. The inscribed reflectors provided a reflectance of −53 dB, significantly higher than the Rayleigh backscattering level of −70 dB/m, despite adding only 0.01 dB of loss per 100 reflection points. We constructed a coherent φ-OTDR system using a double-pulse architecture to probe the enhanced backscattering fiber. Using this system, we found that the point reflectors enabled an average phase noise of −91 dB (re rad2/Hz), 20 dB lower than sensors formed using Rayleigh backscattering in the same fiber. The sensors are immune to interference fading, exhibit a high degree of linearity, and demonstrate excellent non-local signal suppression (>50 dB). This work illustrates the potential for low-cost enhanced backscattering fiber to enable low-noise, long-range distributed acoustic sensing.

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Accepted/In Press date: 9 April 0202
Published date: 29 April 2020

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 453517
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/453517
ISSN: 1094-4087
PURE UUID: 05339a23-dfa2-447d-8229-f66b5e4a0315
ORCID for Andrei Donko: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1884-743X
ORCID for Ali Masoudi: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-0001-6080
ORCID for Gilberto Brambilla: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5730-0499

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Date deposited: 18 Jan 2022 18:08
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:25

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Contributors

Author: Brandon Redding
Author: Matthew Murray
Author: Andrei Donko ORCID iD
Author: Ali Masoudi ORCID iD

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