Ultra-long range distributed fibre sensing using virtually transparent propagation

Miguel Gonzalez-Herraez*, Sonia Martin-Lopez, Mercedes Alcon-Camas, Pedro Corredera, Luc Thévenaz, Juan Diego Ania-Castañón

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference outputConference publication

    Abstract

    Distributed fibre sensors provide unique capabilities for monitoring large infrastructures with high resolution. Practically, all these sensors are based on some kind of backscattering interaction. A pulsed activating signal is launched on one side of the sensing fibre and the backscattered signal is read as a function of the time of flight of the pulse along the fibre. A key limitation in the measurement range of all these sensors is introduced by fibre attenuation. As the pulse travels along the fibre, the losses in the fibre cause a drop of signal contrast and consequently a growth in the measurement uncertainty. In typical single-mode fibres, attenuation imposes a range limit of less than 30km, for resolutions in the order of 1-2 meters. An interesting improvement in this performance can be considered by using distributed amplification along the fibre [1]. Distributed amplification allows having a more homogeneous signal power along the sensing fibre, which also enables reducing the signal power at the input and therefore avoiding nonlinearities. However, in long structures (≥ 50 km), plain distributed amplification does not perfectly compensate the losses and significant power variations along the fibre are to be expected, leading to inevitable limitations in the measurements. From this perspective, it is simple to understand intuitively that the best possible solution for distributed sensors would be offered by a virtually transparent fibre, i.e. a fibre exhibiting effectively zero attenuation in the spectral region of the pulse. In addition, it can be shown that lossless transmission is the working point that allows the minimization of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise build-up.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO EUROPE/EQEC 2011
    PublisherIEEE
    Number of pages1
    ISBN (Electronic)978-1-4577-0532-8
    ISBN (Print)978-1-4577-0533-5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011
    Event2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference - Munich, Germany
    Duration: 22 May 201126 May 2011

    Conference

    Conference2011 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and 12th European Quantum Electronics Conference
    Abbreviated titleCLEO EUROPE/EQEC 2011
    Country/TerritoryGermany
    CityMunich
    Period22/05/1126/05/11

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Ultra-long range distributed fibre sensing using virtually transparent propagation'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this