Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry
Conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometry (BOTDR) suffers from a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and severe sensing reliability due to the influence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold and bend loss. In this study, a simple and low-cost distributed...
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MDPI AG
2022-06-01
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author | Yongqian Li Haijun Fan Lixin Zhang Zijuan Liu Lei Wang Jiaqi Wu Shaokang Wang |
author_facet | Yongqian Li Haijun Fan Lixin Zhang Zijuan Liu Lei Wang Jiaqi Wu Shaokang Wang |
author_sort | Yongqian Li |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Conventional single-mode fiber (SMF) Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometry (BOTDR) suffers from a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and severe sensing reliability due to the influence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold and bend loss. In this study, a simple and low-cost distributed sensing structure, with a single-mode input fiber alignment fusion and a 50 μm diameter graded index multimode sensing fiber, is designed, and the SNR characteristic is investigated. Through theoretical derivation and experimental verification, a higher SNR and excellent bending resistance are realized in BOTDR. The experimentally measured improvements in the SNR of the proposed sensing structure over the SMF at the beginning and end of a 5 km fiber are 2.5 dB and 1.3 dB, respectively. The minimum bending radius of the sensing structure is 2.25 mm, which is much better than that of the SMFs. The bidirectional optical losses between the SMF and the 50 μm graded index multimode fiber are measured by a simple experiment system and are 0.106 dB and 1.35 dB, respectively. The temperature-sensing characteristics of the sensing structure are measured by the self-built frequency-shift local heterodyne BOTDR sensor, and the measured temperature sensitivity and accuracy are 0.946 MHz/℃ and 1 ℃, respectively. The design provides a reference for BOTDR with a high SNR and has great potential for structural safety and health monitoring of infrastructures. |
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issn | 2304-6732 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:43:26Z |
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series | Photonics |
spelling | doaj.art-4e96a41c30d043b1a9d31b115490fd8d2023-11-23T18:32:57ZengMDPI AGPhotonics2304-67322022-06-019639810.3390/photonics9060398Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain ReflectometryYongqian Li0Haijun Fan1Lixin Zhang2Zijuan Liu3Lei Wang4Jiaqi Wu5Shaokang Wang6Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaDepartment of Electronic and Communication Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003, ChinaConventional single-mode fiber (SMF) Brillouin optical time-domain reflectometry (BOTDR) suffers from a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and severe sensing reliability due to the influence of the stimulated Brillouin scattering threshold and bend loss. In this study, a simple and low-cost distributed sensing structure, with a single-mode input fiber alignment fusion and a 50 μm diameter graded index multimode sensing fiber, is designed, and the SNR characteristic is investigated. Through theoretical derivation and experimental verification, a higher SNR and excellent bending resistance are realized in BOTDR. The experimentally measured improvements in the SNR of the proposed sensing structure over the SMF at the beginning and end of a 5 km fiber are 2.5 dB and 1.3 dB, respectively. The minimum bending radius of the sensing structure is 2.25 mm, which is much better than that of the SMFs. The bidirectional optical losses between the SMF and the 50 μm graded index multimode fiber are measured by a simple experiment system and are 0.106 dB and 1.35 dB, respectively. The temperature-sensing characteristics of the sensing structure are measured by the self-built frequency-shift local heterodyne BOTDR sensor, and the measured temperature sensitivity and accuracy are 0.946 MHz/℃ and 1 ℃, respectively. The design provides a reference for BOTDR with a high SNR and has great potential for structural safety and health monitoring of infrastructures.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/9/6/398Brillouin optical time domain reflectometrymultimode fiberbidirectional optical coupling efficiencysignal-to-noise ratiobending resistance |
spellingShingle | Yongqian Li Haijun Fan Lixin Zhang Zijuan Liu Lei Wang Jiaqi Wu Shaokang Wang Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry Photonics Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry multimode fiber bidirectional optical coupling efficiency signal-to-noise ratio bending resistance |
title | Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry |
title_full | Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry |
title_fullStr | Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry |
title_full_unstemmed | Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry |
title_short | Single-Mode Input Fiber Combined with Multimode Sensing Fiber Used in Brillouin Optical Time-Domain Reflectometry |
title_sort | single mode input fiber combined with multimode sensing fiber used in brillouin optical time domain reflectometry |
topic | Brillouin optical time domain reflectometry multimode fiber bidirectional optical coupling efficiency signal-to-noise ratio bending resistance |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-6732/9/6/398 |
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